True Pain
by Mr.Who2123
Summary: Kranna Story. SPOILERS Kratos, one of the most powerful man in the world, and Anna, an escaped convict, each become entwined in the other's life. And as they learn to work together, they learn true love...and true pain. Complete! Please R&R.
1. The Ideals of a Fool

True Pain

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Mr.Who2123: Welcome to my first ever fan fiction! I'm really kind of nervous. Anyway think this fan fiction will be kind of long, so expect more chapters! Please, no flames! Now the disclaimers….I know! COME KRATOS!

(Kratos poofs in)

Kratos: humph why me?

Mr.Who2123: c'mon! Everyone loves you!

(at that moment girls pop up and keep chanting 'we love you'. Then they disappear)

Mr.Who2123: PLEEEEEEAAAASE?

Kratos: …

Mr.Who2123: How about for an Anna plushie?

(waves Anna plushie)

Kratos: …fine. Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia or its characters, but if she did, I would be the…main character and wouldn't leave at the end of the game. Now, time for the doll…

(Kratos then grabs Anna plushie, and hugs it)

Mr.Who2123: Yup! Now let's start!

* * *

The leader of Cruxis, once a young and innocent hero not yet tainted with the evils of the world. Those times were missed the most, especially for the one who watched him transform abruptly from the death of his beloved sister. He became cruel with unjust reason and his mind was falling apart, and the spectator did nothing but watch...until now.

"…Mithos, this is not what Martel wanted," Kratos protested to Mithos, but the same stubborn reply was all he gained. "Nonsense, if everyone becomes lifeless beings, and then they won't discriminate each other. It's what Martel wanted!" Mithos replied as he returned to look at his sister's cruxis crystal which was held suspended in the air in front of the Great Seed. Together, the two shone with beautiful pale light, yet the light was what scared Kratos the most. the light shone over Mithos' face, darkening the shadows across it and multiplying the excitement he had.

Kratos was losing patience, though, and tried to persuade again. "They couldn't discriminate even if they wanted to. They wouldn't feel anything. That's not what Martel wanted! Can't you see your plan is a misinterpretation of what Martel really wanted?"

"No! This will take away discrimination. This is what Martel wants, and I will stop at nothing to get it!" Mithos yelled, his excitement ever growing. He curled his hand into a fist and lifted it slightly as if to attack, but his hand stopped in movement and didn't move until Kratos responded.

"Humph," was all Kratos said, and left the chamber. He continued to his own quarters, and opened the door to find his room perfectly clean like it was every day. He couldn't imagine lifeless beings, the same routine over and over until the end of all time.

Kratos slumped on his chair and sighed. He couldn't believe such a great hero and amazing scholar would want something so selfish that he would sacrifice the world for it, yet was it somehow his fault as well? Did he not support the boy, or did he change only by the death of Martel? Deciding to shove it out of his mind, Kratos picked up the book he had been reading before Mithos summoned him to show his "perfect" plan, which, in fact, was the last thing from perfect.

* * *

Below the comet of everlasting mana was the pale blue planet of Sylverant, along with Tethe'alla as the entwined shadow that stood parallel to it. Sylverant, in decline, had little water, crops, and desians ruled the land with tyranny. However, in the midst of all the chaos, a seed of change was strewn, and Sylverant would soon turn upside down.

"Come back host body!" yelled a desian, running quickly through the brush of tall grass despite his heavy armor which burdened him. He was followed by one more desian, with the same clothes, and each one wore a whip at their side. Far in front of the two pursuers, a young comely woman, dressed in a simple grey robe with cuts and tears all over, was running for her freedom from her enslavers, and with a much greater speed. She glanced back and stuck out her tongue to respond to the desians' call, and sped up her progress. The men gritted their teeth, and followed her into the thicket of trees that gradually would form a forest if one ran far enough. the desians knew they would never find their captive unless they found her now. The desians lost track of their captive after the entered the trees and stopped. Quickly, the began to look around briefly, while the young woman spotted a rock against the mountain close by. The boulder was fifteen feet tall and roughly shaped into a sphere, and she knew it was too round to have beenn shaped by nature.

She ran to it quickly, and noticed it was a cave behind the rock. The woman quickly placed her back against the wall and pushed with all her might. The rock grunted and groaned as it began to turn, though it moved so slowly that the captive feared it would be too late. Her worries only added when not far off, she heard her pursuers.

"We're going to find you, host body!" they called. The woman doubled her efforts, and moved the rock inch by inch until she could barely squeeze her body through. She had to duck her head to not hit the ceiling, and leaned against the side of the cave, breathing hard from her so far successful escape attempt. Suddenly she heard footsteps close by.

"Did you find her?" one asked. "No, she's too quick. Kavar wil have our heads if we don't bring her back. Hey, what's that rock?" the other replied as the footsteps got louder. There was a shadow now, and the woman crouched low. The footsteps stopped, and one of the desian's helmed head abruptly came in sight of the captive, who had lowered to her sore legs and stopped breathing. The head scanned the cave quickly, and then left, not finding her. She sighed in relief, as she heard the man say that she wasn't in there. _Safe...for a little longer at least._ She sighed deeply, forgetting the desians that still loomed close by.

* * *

Back on Derris Kharlan, Kratos had not read more than a page of his book when his mind turned to Mithos and his ideas. "I shouldn't have made a pact with Origin just to make Mithos happy. It's my fault the world is how it is," he muttered to himself, as he placed his book back on the shelf after he finally stood. "If only there was a way I could wield Origin's blade. Hm…" Kratos seated himself on a different chair which was not cushioned at all, but a wooden chair that was stationed next to the corresponding desk with similar design.

The growing sound of footsteps drew Kratos away from his thoughts as he lifted his head to find two big black marbles of eyes staring right back. White fur covered the canine body with clusters of green circles mixed as well. Ears twice the size of a normal dog, and shaped like wings, flapped ever so slightly every minute or so. Kratos softened his expression and placed a gloved hand atop the dog's head and rubbed it a little before retracting his hand once more.

"Noishe, what are you doing here?" Kratos asked, though not harshly. Noishe opened his mouth and grinned at the sound of his name and licked his partner across the whole right side of his face with one stroke of his pink tongue. Kratos sighled silently and wiped his face quickly with the sleeve of his shirt.

After Noishe left, knowing that he'd get no more rubs, Kratos was once again alone in silence to return to his thoughts. _ How can I stop Mithos? He has overpowered me now that he has the Eternal Sword...that's it. The Eternal Sword...I am the rightful owner, but Mithos is the only one who can wield it, so if I could wield it. The only problem is how... _Kratos placed his elbow on the desk and rested his head on his hand, stressing over his questions that he tried to answer. _Well, to wield the sword, you need to be a half elf...or...the Diamond Pact Ring! I have a pact, and all I need is the ring!_ Kratos lifted his head from hishand and straightened himself, wanting to get the ring now that he knew he can end the suffering of the people on Sylverant and Tethe'alla.

Noishe reentered his partner's room again and whined in haste. Noishe had sensed Kratos' uneasiness and wanted to help.

"When should we leave, though? and where is the ring?" Kratos voiced his thoughts. "I know the answer does not lie here. I've read most of them, and they don't have anything." Kratos turned in his seat to face a towering wall of his favorite books, volumes upon volumes about character and standards to help Kratos know if Mithos had really been doing right or wrong.

_Mithos does much wrong, and I know it. He sacrifices people for his selfish thoughts, and more people die the more I linger. I should go right now and save as many people as I can, starting with individuals and gradually rising to be able to destroy Cruxis once and for all._ Noishe whined again, this time in discomfort when he saw Kratos stand up abruptly and gather things into a small, plain, and brown pack. Kratos noticed Noishe by the second time he whined, and smiled briefly before packing again.

"Noishe, I want you to get my sword and shield, alright? Meet me by the warp pad. We're going to Sylverant for awhile," he said, not pausing his work. Noishe barked and paced out of the room.

Kratos made his way quickly down the spiral staircase, and to the main hall. Angels passed by without a word, their faces emotionless, and unchanging. that was something else Kratos hated. _Nothing...absolutely nothing in them. Why does Mithos make them suffer so?_ Kratos reached the warp pad and Noishe came only seconds after with a bundle in his large jaws.

Kratos took the bundle and unwrapped them with practiced fingers, and the cloth opened to reveal a sword in a curved hilet and a black and red shield. Kratos took the hilt and unsheathed it to find his favorite weapon, a glowing sword, curved unevenly like a flame, and nearly as hot as one. The shield seemed dull compared to his beautifully crafted sword. The shield looked much like an upside down triangle, though small curves decorated the top and red designs contrasted to black surface.

Kratos slipped the shield on his left arm and buckled the sword onto his left side as well. After he was suited, he hurried towards the exit, hoping Mithos wouldn't cath him, but a screeching voice dispersed those hopes in an instance.

"Kratos! Where are you going?" Mithos fumed. The cruxis leader moved closer until their noses were only inches away from eachother and their eyes locked maliciously. Kratos found himself speak.

"Mithos, your ideas are unjust and only satisfy your desires, and I cannot forgive myself if I let you do that, so as your teacher and as your friend, I will stop you with all I have," Krato replied calmly, though his voice had such a menacing tone that Mithos backed away slightly. "I have tried to stop your errors, but you don't listen, and I have no choice but to stop you by force. I hope that I may see you as your old self one day. Farewell." Kratos stepped in the portal and left without one look back at his shocked companion.

"But he is my servant. He can't leave!" he whispered, yet it was so loud that it seemed impossible that it was a whisper. Yet, all things are possible, Kratos had proved that.

* * *

Mr.Who2123: Yay! My first chapter!

Kratos: Why am I still here?

MrWho2123: Because this fanfic is of you! It's about you and Anna!

Kratos: Well I was intrigued by the story slightly…

Mr.Who2123: in…trigued? (Lloyd moment)

Kratos: (sigh) please review and no flames please.

(NOTE 11/14/06 - I revised this chapter a lot, and hopefully its better. Anyways, I will do the other chapters as well if I have time today.)


	2. The True Start to the Regeneration

True Pain

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Mr.Who2123: YAY! I got a review!

Alaia Skyhawk: Thanks for the review, it made my day. I didn't think someone would review so quickly! Thanks!

Mr.Who2123: Alright, chapter two is up. I'll make this one longer. Disclaimer! Come, Cloud from FFVII!

Cloud: What the…?

Mr.Who2123: Here, read this

(hands over paper)

Cloud: Fine. Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia or any of its characters because if she did, you would know what Anna looks like.

Mr.Who2123: Thanks Cloud. Now on with the story!

* * *

The escapee from the ranch cursed for tripping, and making herself known to her pursuers. They were after her again, but this time, the woman was too tired to outrun them. It was morning, and the gentle rays of early sun were turning into harsh beatings of sunlight, and the wind was calm, furthering the heat of the summer day. She collapsed on the grassy floor, and perspiration covered her body. She tried to get up, but the men surrounded her, freezing her on the spot. 

"We've got you now, host body A012!" one sneered, and roughly lifted her up. "My name is Anna, you filthy desians!" she yelled defiantly. The desian gritted his teeth in frustration, and shoved her towards the ranch with no kindness.

"Be lucky Kavar wants you alive or I'd whip you until your whole body is red with blood." They replied as they slowly made their way back to the Asgard Ranch.

Anna and her slavers were only yards away from the prison until a blaring siren sounded from it. Anna covered her ears to evade the piercing noise, but the desians kept her moving, except much faster.

"People are escaping!" a desian screamed as he ran from the ranch, chasing a group of captives that had been lucky enough to outrun them out of the ranch. Anna watched in horror as one of the desians that clutched her catch the captives and whip them until they fell to the floor defenseless. One other desian still held onto her and pushed her along further to the ranch, unyielding to her squirming and cries to help the captives even if he was a half elf.

One other captive sped off from the ranch with exceeding speed and passed Anna without looking back. Her captor grunted and let go of Anna's arm to chase the captive which didn't last long. The desian armed himself with a bolt and loaded it into his crossbow and struck the running captive in the neck. The escapee abruptly stopped and fell over, dead and with blood bubbling from the wound.

"I'm out of bolts, agh, dang it," he muttered to himself, slinging his bow over his shoulder. Anna spotted the small knife that hung sheathed on his belt, then developed a desparate plan.

She mustered all her strength, and kicked the Desian in the knee as hard as she could. He howled in pain as he held his knee, and hopped on his other foot, bouncing and streaming curses. Anna plucked the dagger from the desian's belt, and made to attack, but hesitated. The desian finished his yelps and dropped his leg.

"You'll pay for that, you little-" his rage was stunted with a dagger deep in his throat. Anna held it there for several seconds, keeping her eyes tightly closed. Blood flowed frrely from the wound, and when the warm liquid met Anna, she recoiled in shock and the corpse fell over. She shook violently and gasped at her red fingers. _I killed a living person_, were the words that attacked her mind as she barely stifled a scream. Fortunately, no one noticed the now free captive as she bounded off without another thought, tears welling up in her eyes.

Towering in the sky, Anna spotted a column shaped building that reached high into the clouds. Instantly, she remembered the Tower of Mana which praised Martel and the Tower of Salvation. Anna knew safety would be sure once inside the holy place, and bounded off towards it, trying to keep the blood and desians far from her mind.

* * *

Kratos landed in a yellow and green field with trees sparsely covering the area. Judging from the heat, it was in the middle of summer, which explained the lack of travellers and mercenaries trying to find jobs. Noishe began to pant from just standing in the heat of the sun, and whined in impatience. Kratos inclined his head slightly to contemplate his destination. _I see the lakes of Luin and the sun is rising in the east, so I'm north of it. Where do I start? Asgard Ranch is closeby as well, but they don't have anything I'm sure. The Tower of Mana_ _could be a helpful resource and it's not too far._ He set his sights on the Tower that was North-west, and began a walking pace towards it with Noishe trudging slowly behind. 

Kratos was lucky he couldn't feel heat as much as others, although he did feel heat, but Noishe was in an unfortunate situation. He dashed from tree to tree, hunching in the shade, spilling a river of sweat from his tongue. Kratos had made pretty good time and was half way there when suddenly, he heard someone to the side in thick dead brush. "Give me all your Gald and I'll let you live," ordered a thief, who came out of the bush. He was sweating slightly, and by the looks of his especially old and torn clothes, he was left behind by his comapnions. His steel dagger flashed in the sunlight and his red bandana covered tightly around his nose and mouth. Kratos, however, just ignored the threat and continued to walk lazily with a dehydrated dog whimpering behind. The rogue watched after Kratos with deep contention, and gripped the knife in his sweaty hand even tighter.

"He'll pay with his life," whispered the thief and dashed straight for Kratos with his knife held out in front.

Just as he was about to strike, Kratos stepped back, unsheathed his blade, Flamberge, and sliced at the rogue's chest with lightning fast speed. Yells and curses, then screams, then nothing for Kratos sliced again, felling the thief. the screams pounded in the seraphims ears as he sheathed his blade. He never used to feel dizzy after killing a common thief. Had he gotten weaker...or more kind? Kratos never enjoyed ending lives with his blade, but this one thief had made him almost nauseas. "I wonder if two hundred years had made me a little rusty," he grumbled to himself, forgetting the feeling and walking once again.

Along the way, he encountered more thieves and monsters, and he slowly felt more and more sick. He had to stop once to end his horrible headache. When it pulsed, he could hear terrorized screams in the back of his head. Noishe licked Kratos on the head to earn his attention and whined.

After what seemed forever, Kratos made it to the Tower of Mana. He walked up the stone steps, and pushed the golden double doors open with a lazy push that usually exhausted others. Inside, books were all around and brown shelves with rusted iron designs on the borders filled the whole hall. It matched the size of a commoner's house and Kratos even noticed the oracle stone reacting to the cruxis crystal that lay on his hand.

The magic stone made Kratos remember his last journey with a chosen that ended in failure at the hands of the desians. He sighed, and walked to the shelf closest to him, starting his search. Kratos skimmed quickly for anything that has to do with Origin or the Eternal Sword, hoping to find some book that would be the answers to all his problems, but no avail. He looked to the shelf below, yet nothing seemed related to the summons besides the four in Sylverant: Undine, Efreet, Sylph, and Luna with Aska. If there was any writings about the other spirits, it would be vague and had no relevence to Origin.

After minutes of looking the whole room with no avail except for one small book that was older than the rest, Kratos found no books related to what he needed. Noishe, who had been laying down on the cold stone floor to cool himself, pricked his ears and sat up abruptly. Right after, Kratos could hear the sound as well and froze in midstep. Footsteps sounded outside, and Kratos had his hand to his blade in an instance. _I cannot believe Mithos sent angels already_, he thought briefly before the footsteps grew louder, and he could hear the harsh breathing of...a woman? Kratos stood up and called to Noishe who was close by. "If it is Mithos' men, then attack," he said calmly. Noishe bared his teeth, and his head dropped low. However, what opened the door was not an angel, but a young woman running with an exhausted pace into the room. She pushed the doors closed, and leaned on them, breathing harder than Noishe. When she saw Kratos, she nearly screamed.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. Kratos sheathed his blade, folded his arms, and summed her up. The woman had long brown hair tied into a ponytail, and she was dressed in the common desian rags that had cuts and holes all over from the torture of the desians. If she weren't so dirty and bruised, she would have been comely. _Wait, why I am thinking that?_ he wondered, befuddled with his own thoughts. Kratos finally replied. "I should be asking the same thing,"

"Well, I'm Anna, and I escaped from the ranch," she explained. _Well, it's obvious to the eye, _Kratos thought, but kept his thoughts inside. Noishe rose his head and closed his jaw, but it opened again to let his tongue hang freely. He padded over to Anna with curiosity and licked her hand that dangled to her side. Anna recoiled quickly and wiped her hand on her dirty clothes.

"What is this?" she asked, nervously petting it.

"It's Noishe, a protozoan. He's friendly, so don't be afraid of his size," he replied. Anna nodded, though she didn't look to sure at all when she reluctantly patted his head. It was an amusing sight to Kratos considering Noishe wouldn't hurt a fly unless it was to defend, which wouldn't be anytime soon. Kratos took a quick look at the old book in his hand and placed it on a shelf, figuring it wouldn't have much.

"I'll be leaving now, Anna," Kratos said bluntly as he strided to the door. Anna had been running from desians after she had ran from the corpse and was spotted, and even though she had far outrun them, they could be at the tower

"No, there are desians out there, they'll kill you!" she yelled, but Kratos glanced briefly at her and put a hand on the doors. "Anna, I'm a mercenary, I've killed countless desians," he replied as he opened the doors. But as soon as the sunlight came into the room, five desians attacked simultaneously with their whips, expecting it to be their captive.

Kratos grunted in pain as he fell to one knee, clutching his chest. One of the desians noticed Anna. "There she is!" he yelled, but Kratos was up now, and his flamberge was in hand.

"Noishe, protect Anna!" he commanded, as his protozoan ran up to Anna and faced the desians in his "attack mode". Silently, he faced the desians and stabbed one of them in the stomach and spun away from a whip with an awesome grace and strength that only he could muster. Turning, Kratos sliced his attacker, and then stretched his left hand at another. A magic circle appeared under him, lifting his hair and his cloak slightly as the mana charged quickly.

"Grave!" he said as spikes of earth struck at the desian in all directions, deforming his body. Blood leaked all over the rocks, as they slowly went back into the earth. There were two desians left now, and he readied his blade for the attack. One of them charged, but that was a mistake. Kratos ducked from the whip, and stabbed him in the stomach, still crouched low.

With the felled desian body still on his blade, Kratos swung it at the last desian who toppled over from the weight of the armored corpse. Kratos walked next to the struggling desian who had the corpse over his mid-section. The desian paled as the shadow of his enemy covered him and screamed as the blade rose, and struck.

"Oh my…," Anna gasped as she witnessed this mercenary's true strength and defeated all the desians singel handedly, though Kratos felt a little more dizzy. Kratos wiped the blood off his flaming sword on the grass, dying it a brownish scarlett. Kratos sheathed his blade and folded his arms, staring at Anna who had her mouth open slightly.

Realization dawned on Anna when she thought of the desians. _I'm FREE!!_ she exclaimed in her head. Without thinking, she bounded up and hugged her hero who took a step back in shock.

"Thank you, ummm-" Anna said as she drew back quickly in embarrassment. "Kratos Aurion, a mercenary," he answered, annoyed, as he turned to leave. As he finished walking down the steps with Noishe behind, Anna ran after him.

"Wait, bring me to Luin, please!" she asked, almost desparately. "It's my hometown and my mother lives there." Kratos took one look at the torture from the desians and pitied the woman. Nodding his head once, Kratos turned back to head to Luin and drop Anna off. _And get rid of her for good,_ he added.

While trekking through the plains near Luin, Kratos was silent the entire time, and the monotonous footsteps drove Anna nuts.

"So, um...Kratos, where do you live?" she asked, hoping a conversation would come up.

"I travel across the world. Everywhere I go is my home," he replied, almost as emotionless as the footsteps. A long silence followed after until Anna tried again.

"Where are your parents?" Anna asked. The mercenary hesitated, trying to actually remember when his parents died.

"They died when I was very young," he replied, not a hint of enthusiasm in his deep voice. Anna didn't say anything and kept quiet for a long while again. The sun was now west of them, though it was still bright, and Anna tried several more conversations, each less responsive than the last. After Kratos gave no reply to Anna's last question, she had taken enough.

"Alright, spit it out, why so quiet?" Anna demanded, and stopped. Kratos stopped as well and faced Anna with no apology. "Not everyone likes to talk," he replied, and continued towards Luin. That about was it. She lost all of her patience now. "Fine," she muttered stubbornly, and folded her arms. She hated this guy already, and it wasn't even a day with him.

No later than a few minutes, Kratos froze. He looked glanced quickly, as if trying to find something, and concern built in his eyes every passing second. Anna opened her mouth, but Kratos held a hand out to stop her from speaking. Noishe stopped as well and crouched low, smelling whatever they were looking for. The protozoan pointed his muzzle at a bush not far off.

"What?" she said, but Kratos suddenly tackled her and brought them both to the dirt floor. Her back ached from the impact and she didn't enjoy a merenary on top off her. "What the heck was that for, you…,"she stopped when she saw an arrow only a few feet away buried in the tall grass. She finally understood that he just saved her. "Oh," she nearly whispered, while Kratos got up and unsheathed his blade. His keen eyes found the Desian behind the bush Noishe pointed..

"Grrr, I missed because of you, stupid human," he yelled as he pulled out an arrow out of a pouch, not his quiver, that had a dark green tip. "Poison," muttered Kratos. The desian loaded and shot the arrow, but Kratos lifted his blade and deflected it just in time. He then dashed to the desian to finish him off, but three desians from the sides grabbed onto Kratos, and one even jumped on his back. Two now held his arms with strong hands and the last was still on his back, immobilizing him.

The Desians were laughing now. "Not so strong, eh?" one mocked as he kicked Kratos in the back. Kratos gritted his teeth in pain and didn't answer. The first desian grabbed another poison arrow, and loaded it into his crossbow. He aimed at Kratos' heart and struck. Kratos yelled in pain before fainting, and the desians promptly dropped him on the grass letting him die, to get Anna. Noishe padded to Kratos and kept whining in fear, and then growled at the desians who ignored him.

Anna, however, was in complete shock and didn't react when a desian pushed her harshly north. She fell and earned a bloody knee, but she didn't notice. _It's all my fault. He died because of me. Oh, I'm so sorry!_ her thoughts screamed. Tears threatened to fall down her face as she obediently began to walk back to the ranch.

"Thunder Blade!" a voice rang from behind, and mana gathered to create a sword that fell upon the desians and killed three. Anna gasped and looked back to see Kratos!

The mercenary was standing, but with great difficulty. The arrow was in him, and blood leaked down his shirt and spread at his belts. The poison was already taking effect when he tried to focus for more magic. With most of his mana, he stretched his hand and summoned his attack.

"Grave!" he bellowed and the same spears of earth stabbed and sliced the last desian who fell to the floor with dimmed eyes and blood puddling around him. Anna screamed when Kratos finally closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

* * *

Mr.Who2123: Yay! Chapter 2 is done!

Cloud & Kratos: We're still here.

Mr.Who2123: Cloud and Kratos, why don't you be friends? You're both emotionless!

Cloud & Kratos: ...

Mr.Who2123: See! You'll get along well!

Cloud & Kratos: …please review so we can leave this crazy girl in her figment of imagination.

Mr.Who2123: fig...ment? (Another Lloyd moment! GASP)

Kratos: That reminds me of my stupid son whom I will see in chapter-

Mr.Who2123: Don't SPOIL IT! (Tackles Kratos and doesn't let go, she hugs him now o.O)

Cloud: The sight it burns! Mr.Who2123 has lost it!

Kratos casts Judgement and knocks out Mr.Who2123

Kratos: (gets on knees) Please! For every review, you save me from another day with that...THING!

NOTE 11/16/06 : I have revised this chapter, taking out words, adding descriptions, or even deleting paragraphs to write new ones. Please tell me how it is! Thanks!


	3. Luin

True Pain

* * *

Mr.Who2123: Yay! I got Chapter 3! Disclaimer time! Come, Lloyd! 

Lloyd: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Mr.Who2123: Why are you saying that?

Lloyd: I don't know…

(Kratos comes in)

Kratos: Lloyd why are you so dumb? You're an embarrassment to the Aurion family.

(Lloyd cries uncontrollably)

Lloyd: (stops crying) uncon…trollably? (Can't you tell I love Lloyd moments!)

Kratos: (sigh)

Mr.Who2123: Lloyd, just do the disclaimers!

Lloyd: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia or their characters, but if she did…Lloyd would die!

Mr.Who2123: Mwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

(Lloyd cries and then dies o.O)

Mr.Who2123: Yes! The drug worked

(Kratos has his Last Fencer pointed at Mr. Who's neck)

Mr.Who2123: I mean…poor Lloyd…

(Lloyd gets up)

Lloyd: What did I miss?

Mr.Who2123: NOOOOOO (starts crying)

Kratos: We're starting now…

* * *

"Kratos!" Anna cried as she ran next to him, and knelt down next to his motionless body. She placed two fingers on his neck feeling for any kind of pulse to signify his life, and found one after a short time. Anna began to desparately shovel through the pack Kratos carried, throwing out anything that didn't seem useful. Anna scanned the contents in the bag quickly and spotted a clear bottle that read "panacea bottle." 

She grabbed it quickly, uncapped it, and forced it down Kratos' throat. At first, he spit it out, his body trying to keep the liquid away, and Anna had to rest his head on her lap to clear his throat. Finally, he managed to down the liquid, and his breathing started to even slowly.

Anna sighed with relief, and then grabbed an apple gel that was also from the bag. Quickly after trying to get the gel down his mouth, Anna found it difficult to get him to eat the healing gel. She forcefully put it down his throat and clamped Kratos' mouth shut with two hands while the gel gently slid down his throat. Anna, satisfied with her work, stood up to clean up the contents of the bag she had spilled in her rush. She picked up bottles and gels, some she had never seen before, and some she knew very well. One bottle was silver that shone different colors depending on the sunlight that would reach it. Anna was dazzled by the beautiful blue colors that shimmered in the setting sun. Reluctantly, she put the bottle away, after reading "miracle bottle" on the side.

Anna finished her cleaning before the sun had completely left the horizon, dying the ground and sparce trees orange and red, and the heat of the sun began to leave. Anna turned her head to check on her protector, and when she saw he was still unconscious, she moved to the closest tree which was a tall elm with long branches that reached like a child would to their favorite toy. Anna placed her arms behind her chocolate hair and closed her eyes, drifting to sleep.

Kratos woke with a sharp pain in his chest, and looked down to see the arrow. Kratos shifted his arms to hold himself up with his elbows, and tried to get up. The sharp pain of the arrow increased and Kratos was forced back down into the uncomfortable position he had been in while he was asleep.

_How am I alive? The poison should have killed me by now._ he thought, befuddled. Kratos then bore in his surroundings to see if Mithos had taken him while he was unconscious, but he was surrounded by a large plain with trees spread out with a fair distance between them. It was dead quiet except for the soft brave chirps of the first crickets. The light of the sun had almost left to rest the night as half of it dipped slowly lower so subtle that no one could notice. Purple began to creep up among the trees as night would soon fall upon him.

Then he remembered Anna, the annoying, talkative captive who followed him out. He looked around quickly, but he couldn't find her. Did the desians get her? Suddenly, his keen ears picked up a noise coming directly behind him. At first it sounded like a fierce growl of a hungry wolf or the gurgle of a stream, but he focused on the noise to find it was a snore. With most of his strength, Kratos shifted himself right until he saw Anna curled up beneath an elm, snoring like there was no tomorrow.

Kratos smirked at the surprisingly loud noises that such a strange woman could make.

Kratos limped over to Anna to make sure she was fine. She was muttering something in her sleep, but Kratos couldn't understand her mumblings. Anna rolled over to her back to reveal an exsphere embedded in her hand, a different hue than his cruxis crystal or an exsphere. It, like all other exspheres at the ranch, were keycrest-less and endangering to anyone without one. Kratos widened his eyes slightly. _It's the research for the Angelus Project Mithos kept talking about_, he exclaimed in his thoughts. He continued to watch her chest rise and fall, until he finally tore his eyes away from the half cruxis crystal. _What have I gotten myself into?_

The sun had completely set when Kratos stood up and walked over to Noishe who had been silently sleeping next to his pack. He absently stroked his ears, as stars came up all over the sky of Sylvarant. _Like the stars, I need to stand bold, despite the obstacles that may pass, _he thought, watching the blinkling lights with fierce interest.

* * *

The next morning, Kratos walked over to Anna who had slept all of yesterday. She was still crouched next to the tree, saying various comments in her sleep and snoring as loudly as well. 

"Anna, wake up," he called as he shook her awake, but her hand just slapped him away asking for five minutes. Surprised by the automatic reply, Kratos couldn't help but smile, and he tried again. "Anna we have to go," he said slightly louder. Anna opened her eyes and yawned. Kratos walked back to Noishe and packed his items quickly.

Anna yawned again and stretched her arms. She felt like falling back to sleep, but her back ached from the position she slept in. Anna finally stood up and walked over to Kratos.

"How long to Luin?" she asked casually as the two began to walk. "About half an hour if we hurry. We would have made it yesterday if the Desians hadn't come," he replied. Anna smiled broadly. _I get to see my parents_, she thought. _My life will be back to normal! _

The two continued in silence, Anna thinking about seeing her parents, and Kratos…was being Kratos. Anna would twirl around, or jump in the air with glee. Kratos cocked his head in confusion to why she was so happy and acting so childish. _She didn't have a normal childhood, idiot. She was raised in the ranch,_ he remembered.

After twenty minutes of silence, Kratos pointed to a bridge far off in front of them. "It's Luin," and when Anna heard that, she broke into a run. Kratos quickened his pace only slightly and followed her to Luin.

Kratos and Anna made it to Luin within five minutes. Anna was racing through the bridge, and then jumped into the town.

"Ha! I beat you to Luin!" she said as she twirled. Kratos sighed. "It's not a race, Anna," he replied, crossing the bridge. "It is to me," and Anna stuck out her tongue mockingly. Kratos was glad to be able to part ways with this childish girl.

Anna walked over to Kratos and grabbed his arm. "Let's go see my parents!" she suggested. "Anna, I don't think that…," he began, but she stuck out her lower lip and sniffed. Anna put on a surprisingly sad face, and clasped her hands together. "..Fine." he gave in. Anna smiled deviously, and then practically dragged him all over Luin to her mother's house.

She finally stopped at one of the larger houses, and ran up the stone steps, but instead of knocking like anyone else would; she barged right in, dragging Kratos with her

"Mom, it's Anna! I'm back!" she yelled in the hallway. A voice replied not minutes later. "Anna? I'm coming!" a woman in a simple blue dress and gray-brown hair pushed into a ponytail bustled over to Anna and hugged her.

"I missed you, Mom," Anna said. "Me too." Her mother replied, still holding her daughter that she missed. Kratos stood there awkwardly, wishing he was gone. He folded his arms and took in his surroundings. Her house was quite large for someone in Luin. Granite lined the counter tops of the kitchen and a giant embroided rug lay in the middle of the house.

Finally, Anna's mother noticed Kratos. "Who's this, Anna?" she asked, walking up to Kratos. "I'm Kratos, a mercenary. I helped protect Anna," he explained. Anna's mother thanked Kratos and then turned back to Anna.

"I'm making dinner, why don't you two get some clothes and supplies for Kratos?" she suggested. Anna smiled. "Yeah, it'll be fun," she replied and brought Kratos outside. "Let's go to the clothes shop, Kratos," and she dragged him out.

Suprisingly, Anna still knew the way through town and ran around other pedestrians until they found a simple shop right next to the church.

The shop was huge. A young woman walked up to them, and smiled. "Welcome," she said. "Who's getting new clothes?" Kratos nodded to Anna, and the young woman brought Anna to a display of clothes and began to show her the various clothes that were in stock. Kratos decided to sit down and think things out. _I can't leave her here, the Desians are after her, and this city will be destroyed if she stays._ He was going to find another mercenary to bring her too Izoold. She'd be safe there. No Desian ranches were nearby the small fishing village.

Kratos waited a little more until he heard someone approaching. He looked up and saw Anna, now dressed in traveling clothes. She wore a short sleeved deep blue shirt and tan shorts. Two belts were around her waist, and a dagger was hung at her side. She had two black gantlets on her hands. Anna's brown hair was tied together at the end of her hair with a ribbon.

"Kratos, you've been staring awhile now," she spoke up, clasping her gloved hands together. Kratos blinked and stood up. "You look like a real traveler," he said and turned to the saleswoman.

"How much?" he asked, taking out his Gald "It's only 240 Gald," she replied cheerily. Kratos paid her and left with Anna beaming behind him.

As soon as they were out, Kratos stopped and turned to her. "Anna, you can't stay here in Luin,"

* * *

Mr.Who2123: All done! Wow, I think I did pretty well. What do you think, Lloyd? 

Lloyd: Pre...tty?

Mr.Who2123: You're hopeless…

Kratos: …Please review


	4. Tomatoes and Faerie Rings

Tomatoes and Faerie rings

Mr.Who2123: Yay! I got like, five reviewers now!

(dances)

Mr.Who2123: Alright Disclaimer time! Raine!

(Raine poofs in)

Raine: Ruin!

(points at Kratos)

Kratos: What the…

Mr.Who2123: Well Kratos, since your 4000 years old, she thinks of you as a…

Raine: RUIN!

(Raine tackles Kratos and pulls out a ridiculously long needle)

Kratos: WTF!

Mr.Who2123: Raine, if you do disclaimers, you can take Kratos' DNA!

Raine: Mr.Who2123doesnotownTalesofSymphonia, butifshedid, IwouldtwitchwhenIseearuin.

(Raine twitches and then takes needle again)

Mr.Who2123: Raine, look! An older ruin!

(points at sun)

Raine: You're right! RUIN!

(Raine gets in a rocket and flies to sun….and dies)

Kratos: Thanks, Mr.Who2123!

(Mr.Who2123 faints from Kratos talking to her)

Kratos: …okay…we're starting

* * *

"What!" Anna said, confused. Kratos sighed, and began to explain about her cruxis crystal. 

"Anna, that's no exsphere, it's a half cruxis crystal," he replied. "The Desians will stop at nothing to get it. You are jeopardizing Luin." Anna looked at her cruxis crystal. It was a strange violet color, unlike the normal red ones of the other host bodies she saw.

"So, where do I go?" she asked. She didn't want to leave Luin. It was peaceful, and she wanted to stay with her mother.

"I'll hire a mercenary to escort you to Izoold. There are no Desian ranches nearby," he answered. Anna's cogs began to move.

"You mean you're not taking me?" she said. Kratos folded his arms.

"Anna, I don't like you and you don't like me. That's the truth. I have to go somewhere anyways," he replied, not looking into her eyes. He knew she'd make another sad face with pleading eyes, and force him to go. Besides, Mithos was after him, and would kill Anna if he saw her with Kratos.

"Well then, why don't you just stay for the night? Will that work?" she asked, wanting to spend time with him before he leaves. Kratos nodded, and then took Anna to the item shop.

It was a small shop, with wooden walls. It was half the size of the clothes shop they were in minutes ago. They walked in, and saw an old man behind the counter. He looked up and smiled.

"Welcome to Sky High," he greeted, and then returned to his business. Kratos nodded to the man, and then walked over to shelves, grabbing various gels.

Anna nonchalantly walked to the glass counter with many accessories for travelers. She recognized a few charms and bracelets, and liked to look at them. She wondered how such beautiful things could really help and protect someone.

As she sauntered by, she saw a ring, with a purple gem in the middle. It seemed to glow with power, but the engravings on it were more amazing than the rest. The ring was lavender, and feathers were engraved around the ring. Anna loved it immediately and asked how much.

"The faerie ring? That's about 100,000 Gald. It's very rare, and few are in the world," he said, also noticing the ring's beauty.

Anna was shocked at the high price. One could by a small house in Luin for that much!

"Wow, it's a lot. I wanted it for someone," she replied. Anna felt that she had to repay Kratos for saving her on numerous occasions. Anna began to imagine Kratos' reaction when she gave him the ring. She giggled. If he ever did show reaction.

"Is it because you're in love?" the shop manager asked. Anna flushed red.

"Oh, no no no. It's just for Kratos. He saved me a lot and I thought it would be nice if I gave him something in return," she answered quickly, and turned to Kratos who was still getting items.

Suddenly, Anna heard a click, and turned around to see the old man take the faerie ring out of the glass counter. He gently placed it in a small box and handed it over to Anna who refused.

"I can't take something so nice! I don't have the money," she tried to say, but the man placed it in her hands.

"I was a little surprised about your kindness. Just take it. No one will buy it anyways," he replied and smiled. Anna thanked him and pocketed the valuable ring.

Kratos came to the counter and placed the items on the table. The old man quickly added up the items, and asked for the Gald, which Kratos paid. He placed them in his bag, and the two walked outside.

Just as they were about to go to Anna's house, Anna tapped Kratos on the shoulder. He turned around and folded his arms, though not irritably.

"Um…I got you this," she said timidly and placed the box in Kratos' hand. He opened it slowly, and what beheld his eyes, made them widen. It was a faerie ring, but how did Anna get it? The only one he knew of was Mithos', and there were few in the world.

He slipped the ring on, and felt more powerful than ever before. His Mana usage felt more convenient. He didn't need as much to cast spells. Also, he felt his power rise. He felt his magic could crush the world.

Suddenly, Anna burst out laughing, and Kratos looked up in puzzlement. "Your…hahaha….face…hahaha…PRICELESS! Hahahahaha!" she managed to say between bursts of laughter. Kratos rolled his eyes. It couldn't be _that_ funny.

When Anna's laughs subsided, Kratos thanked her, and they made their way to Anna's house. When Kratos entered, he smelled something coming from the kitchen. TOMATOES! Kratos stopped dead in his tracks, and Anna looked back in confusion.

"What's wrong? You look sick," she asked, grabbing his arm to move him forward. He reluctantly followed into the kitchen, and saw spaghetti. Now he was sick.

Kratos grabbed Anna back and whispered, "I can't eat that! I loathe tomatoes," Anna looked at him in surprise.

"I didn't expect to hear that out of you," she replied with her hands on her hips. Kratos slapped his hand on his face and sighed.

"I'm not hungry anyways," Kratos said, and made for the doorway. Anna grabbed him and dragged him back into the kitchen.

"You're going to eat that, or my mom will get discouraged. She's self-conscious about cooking, and needs support!" she replied, and made him sit down. Kratos sighed and gave up. This was going to be hard. Very hard.

Just then, Anna's mother came in, and finished pouring the _vile _tomato sauce all over the spaghetti, and served it to each of them. Anna dug in immediately, and finished within minutes, while Kratos stared at her in disgust.

This made him remembered the first time he tried a tomato, or rather tomato soup His mind went back 4,000 years ago, when he was slightly more eager, and a teacher of Mithos.

_Kratos, Mithos, Yuan, and Martel finally settled for camp that day. They had all fought hard in the war, and were ready to eat. Kratos began sparring with Mithos, while Yuan and Martel cooked the food._

_An hour later, when the two men finished their training, Kratos smelt something horrible in the air coming from Martel. Mithos sniffed, and sighed in satisfaction._

_"Mithos, what's that smell?" Kratos asked, holding his nose. Mithos laughed at Kratos asking about food. He never did, and usually ate anything on his plate._

_"It's tomato soup, Kratos. Haven't you ever had it before?" Mithos asked, but Kratos just shook his head. Just then, Martel called for dinner, and the two walked over to the camp. _

_Martel handed makeshift bowls to everyone and all of them began eating, except for Kratos. He stared at the substance for a while, two sides of him fighting over if he should try it or not. Soon enough, his stomach growled, and Kratos decided to try it, but hesitated._

_"Come on, it's good, Kratos!" Yuan exclaimed, showing his empty bowl. Martel also put down her bowl in satisfaction. Kratos sighed. Slowly, he put the bowl to his lips, and tipped the substance into his mouth. As soon as the soup touched his tongue, Kratos spit it out and jumped up._

_"Water! Where's water!" he exclaimed, and ran for the nearest spring. Everyone sat there in utter amazement, and stared after him in disbelief. Kratos, the one who never showed emotion, was just screaming for water._

_"I guess he hates tomatoes," Yuan commented._

Kratos now stood there with some form of tomato in front of him. He looked at Anna, who was finished, and then at Anna's mother, who was eating it.

Kratos slowly picked up his fork and got some spaghetti on it. Painfully, he placed it in his mouth and swallowed with barely any chewing. Anna was staring at him now, making sure he eats it. He took another bite, and nearly gagged when he swallowed.

After awhile of pain and suffering, Kratos actually managed to eat half of it. He shoved his plate away when he could take no more and thanked Anna's mother for the dinner. He and Anna walked out of the room and Anna burst into a fit of giggles.

"You looked so funny when you looked at the spaghetti," she said gleefully. Kratos scowled. He hated to be laughed at, but she laughed at everything he did.

"I'll find you a mercenary tomorrow," he said, trying desperately to change the subject.

"No! I want you! You're not like other mercenaries. I've met a couple before, and they were…gross. Please come with me!" she pleaded, but neither of them knew why she was pleading to have Kratos come. Kratos sighed. He knew if he looked into those green eyes, he'd say yes in a heartbeat.

"Anna," he said, not looking up to her. "I have something important to do, and it cannot wait. I will jeopardize your safety as well, and I can't risk that." Anna looked down as well. She wanted Kratos. He was so powerful and talented, that she felt unprotected with anyone else.

After a moment, Kratos spoke up again. "I'll think about it," he said. Anna lightened up a little.

"Kratos, let me show you where you sleep," she said, but Kratos shook his head.

"I'm not tired. You can go to bed," he replied. Anna shrugged and walked up the stairs exhausted and tired. Anna was pissed off at Kratos when she thought about it. _My life is already in danger. He keeps saying he has to do something. I wonder what. Maybe it's in that book of his,_ she thought.

Downstairs, Kratos walked outside and whistled for Noishe who had run off when they reached Luin. Soon enough, a white and green "dog" ran up and sat in front of Kratos.

"Did you see any Desians?" he asked. The dog growled low, indicating it was negative. Kratos smiled. "Come back tomorrow morning," he said, and Noishe ran off. Kratos walked back in, and sat on the couch, waiting for the next day.

* * *

Mr.Who2123: Cut!

Raine: RUIN!

Mr.Who2123: What the? How did you come back?

Raine: Resurrection! Now it's time for RUIN!

(Raine points at Kratos who backs away)

Kratos: Crap…

(Raine tackles Kratos again and accidentally kills Kratos)

Mr.Who2123: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! KRATOS! RAINE! HEAL HIM NOW!

(Mr.Who2123 grabs Raines neck. Raine heals Kratos)

Mr.Who2123: Kratos! I missed you! (hugs Kratos)

Kratos: I was just knocked out…

Raine: Time for ruin!

(pulls out the needle again)

Mr.Who2123: No you don't!

(pulls out a shotgun and begins maiming Raine while laughing maniacally)

Kratos: …Review


	5. On to Asgard

On to Asgard!

Mr.Who2123:WOOT! I've got ten reviews! (Dances)

Kratos: ...

Mr.Who2123: Alright, Disclaimers! Come! Pe...I mean Genis!

Genis: Sup!

Mr.Who2123: You're a good cook, right?

Genis: Sure am!

Mr.Who2123: Cook me a salad!

Genis: Isn't it make me a salad?

Mr.Who2123: Cook salad! (Points gun at Genis)

Genis: Okay...

(Genis makes perfect salad, then puts on stove. Salad explodes on Genis making him dead and/or dying.)

Mr.Who2123: oh, well. I don't like salads. Genis, disclaimers!

Genis: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, because if she did, Kratos would have more costumes. (Genis dies now.)

Kratos: ...

Mr.Who2123: Yup, now lets a go!

Anna walked into her room. It was just how she remembered it. The bed was in a corner with a white night stand next to it. A wardrobe was in the corner in the other corner, and a bookshelf in the last. Anna jumped on her bed, and fell asleep instantly.

Anna felt a hand waking her way too early for her liking.

"...up. Anna, wake up!" she heard Kratos say. She rolled over, and saw Kratos bending over her.

"Kratos...are you coming with me?" she asked as she slowly sat up on her bed. Kratos sighed.

"I'm still thinking it over," he replied, leaving the room. Anna got up and stretched her back. She felt like she had slept for five seconds, and was dreadfully sleepy.

She walked out of her room and downstairs to find Kratos waiting at the front door. Both of them left the house, and to the inn to find a mercenary.

"Kratos, let's go to the fountain before you go. Please?" she asked, as she passed by the water feature. Kratos nodded, and turned back to the fountain.

It was a beautiful fountain. Water filled the bottom, and a white granite column stood in the middle, with water coming out all sides of it. The sun reflected of the falling water, revealing a small rainbow across the column.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Anna said as she leaned over the edge, feeling the cool water come onto her gloved hand.

"Yeah," Kratos replied, also leaning over next to Anna. Suddenly, Anna flung her wet hand at Kratos' face, splattering him with drops of water. Anna began to laugh as his hair stuck to his face, and some got in his eye.

"Anna," he said, annoyed at the childish girl. He picked the hair out of his face, and stood up.

"Okay, let's go, sir gloomy," she said cheerfully, walking towards the inn once again. Kratos sighed and followed. The two made it to the inn, and they stood outside the wooden door.

"Didn't you say you were going to think about it?" she pleaded, making her sad face. Kratos looked away quickly, and turned to the door.

"I already have," he said quietly, as he opened the door, but Anna didn't follow.

"No, you can come with me! Please! You say you're going to put me in danger, but I was in danger since the day I escaped! You can't just leave me hanging like this!" she yelled. Kratos stood with the door open, and he turned to those sad eyes.

"...Alright, let's go," he replied, and Anna jumped in the air and stuck her hands as high as she could. Kratos closed the inn door, and headed for the Luin exit with Anna right behind him.

The two had left Luin behind , and now were walking to Asgard. Once again, both of them were silent. Anna decided to try a conversation one more time.

"So, why were you in the Tower of Mana?" she asked. To her surprise, Kratos answered.

"Truthfully, I was looking for a book that might tell me how to make something," he replied. He put his hand to his chin, as if in deep thought.

"Make what?" she asked, curious. Kratos didn't answer. Either he was too much in thought, or he just didn't want to answer the question.

Suddenly, Kratos stopped dead in his tracks, and Noishe growled behind them. Three Desians were behind, each of them with a whip. Kratos grabbed his flamberge and turned around, ready to strike. He quickly checked his surrounding to make sure he wouldn't get ambushed again. He couldn't make a mistake like that again.

One of the Desians looked at Anna and recognized her immediately as the Angelus Project.

"You're the project Kvar has been looking for!" he said, pointing at her. Then he turned to one of his comrades.

"Go to the ranch and tell Kvar she's heading to Asgard!" he ordered. The Desian nodded, and began to run back.

"Air thrust!" he said as he cast the spell on the Desian that was running back to the ranch. Instantly, blades of air cut the Desian as he yelled in pain. When the attack finished, the Desian fell to the floor, dead. The Desian was infuriated.

"Get the host body, and I'll get them mercenary!" he said as he ran to Kratos. Kratos jumped out of the way from a whip, and thrust downward upon the Desian's face. Blood burst from his head as he screamed and fell to the floor, dying a painful death.

Kratos turned to Anna to make sure she was fine, and saw Noishe, growling, and threatingly baring his fangs. He saw Noishe tackle the Desian and tear the flesh from the Desian, as he yelled desperately for mercy. That was not in Noishe's plan though. He clawed and bit at the Desian, making sure he would die. When the Desian fell limp, Noishe jumped of the Desian and padded to Kratos, who scratched his ears affectionately.

"Good Noishe," he cooed, but Anna stood in disgust at Noishe, then the Desian corpse.

"I didn't know Noishe was so...violent," she said, as they continued their travels. Kratos let out a small laugh.

"You don't know anything for that matter," he said. Anna fumed, and folded her arms.

The two continued their travels, until the sun started to set in the mountains of Hima.

"We'll make camp here," he said, as he stopped in a small plain. Anna set down a blanket she received from Kratos, and sat on it, looking at the sunset. She stared at the reddening sun with amazement as it settled upon the mountain, bringing the sky darker and darker.

"Kratos, come watch the sunset with me!" she exclaimed, as Kratos sat down next to her. The sun let out its fiery glow on the mountains, turning them from brown to a bright red. "It's so beautiful," she sighed. Kratos had to admit the scene was picturesque, and he nodded in agreement. Anna slowly laid her head onto an annoyed Kratos' shoulder. He was going to say something, then decided it wasn't worth his time.

The two sat there until the first stars were being born into the sky, and a bluish hue covered the night sky. Kratos got up slowly and walked over to his blanket with a sleeping Noishe on it.

"'Night, Kratos," she said as she threw her blanket over her, and fell asleep instantly. Kratos watched her sleep for a minute, and noticed the slight shivering from the cold night air. Silently, Kratos grabbed his own blanket, and put it gently over her, and Anna's shivering stopped almost instantly.

He continued to watch her chest rise and fall until he could fell a strong welling of mana behind him.

"Yggdrasil," he muttered as he grabbed his flamberge. Just as he thought, Yggdrasil was standing in a small forest, enraged at Kratos.

"Kratos, you're coming with me!" he yelled, as he stomped to his former companion.

"No," he replied in a growl Mithos was greatly taken aback greatly. No one had ever said that to him.

"Why?" he asked. "My plan will work, I will reunite the worlds! Don't you see my way is best?" Kratos continued to stare at Mithos with dislike.

"Mithos, you're plan includes sacrifices, and an age of Lifeless Beings, both I cannot stand to support. I will find a way to reunite the worlds myself, for you, Mithos Yggdrasil, are a weak idiot who will sacrifice the world for his sister," he said, almost calmly. Mithos seethed. How dare he!

"Fine! I will bring you back myself!" he yelled, as ten angels appeared behind Kratos.. They all grabbed him roughly, immobilizing any movement of him. Mithos walked right next to Kratos, their noses almost touching.

"See, Kratos? I will have my way whether you like it or not!" he mocked. Kratos closed his eyes and began concentrating for all the mana he had.

"Judgment!" he yelled. Rays of light fell all around Kratos, killing a few of the angels, and knocking out the rest. For some reason, the advanced skill did seem as hard as he remembered. Then he noticed the faerie ring around his right hand and smiled.

"Kratos! You betray me?" Mithos yelled, from far away. He had jumped out of the way to dodge the strong magic.

"Mithos, I cannot allow you to use me as you please. Leave me alone!" he replied, trying to stay calm.

"I'll bring you back no matter what! HOLY LANCE!" A square of light surrounding Kratos. He tried to jump out of the way, but the spears of light came too soon, and stabbed through Kratos. Kratos grunted in pain as he fell to one knee and looked up at Mithos.

"Kratos, you should of just come back," he mocked, advancing on the mercenary.

Mr.Who2123: Alright! Chappie 5! I'm so good!

Kratos: ...

(Kratos is staring at Genis who is in fetal position, saying cook salad over and over)

Mr.Who212: What are you staring at?

Kratos: Genis. Why did you force him to cook a salad when you didn't even want one?

Mr.Who2123: Well, mainly because I like to torture everyone but you and Cloud from FFVII!

(Mr.Who2123 hugs Kratos so tight that he can't breath. Kratos goes unconscious)

Mr.Who2123: Oops...Oh, well! Time to sell pictures of him on the internet! (Skips with Kratos in her arms)

Genis: Cook...Salad...Review please...cook...salad...


	6. Betrayal

Betrayal

Mr.Who2123: Yay! As I'm writing this, I'm wearing a pirate hat.

Kratos: …

Mr.Who2123: Seriously! My brother got it from Legoland! Now, Disclaimers! Come, Colette!

(Colette poofs in)

Kratos: She has the Toxicosis…she can't talk

Mr.Who2123: Okay. Colette, write on my hand!

(Colette writes "Hi, my name is Colette")

Mr.Who2123: …It says…"Kratos is wearing a bra!"

Kratos: What?

(Colette shakes head, and then puts one finger on Mr.Who2123's hand. Suddenly, she knows what it says)

Mr.Who2123: It says "Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, because if she did, Colette would trip on Lloyd every minute!"

Kratos: Idiot.

Mr.Who2123: At least I'm not gay and wear a bra

Kratos: I don't wear a bra!

Mr.Who2123: Prove it! (pulls out camera)

Kratos: I'm not taking my shirt off.

Mr.Who2123: Dang…and so close, too. (puts away the camera)

Kratos: We're starting now.

Kratos sat there helplessly as the angels he knocked out stood up again, and grabbed Kratos roughly, forcing him to stand. Mithos focused on his Mana, and created a magic portal back to Welgaia. As they were lifted up, the angels let go of Kratos, and Kratos jumped off the circle. He released his cerulean transparent wings and landed back in the forest.

"Kratos! Come back here right now!" he yelled from the portal. Kratos ignored him and instead started casting a spell.

"Grave!" he yelled as the rocks slashed at Mithos and knocked him unconscious. Finally, the magic circle disappeared, leaving Kratos. He and Anna were safe…for now.

Quickly, Kratos walked back to the camp, and packed their items quickly. He had to leave, or Mithos would find him again. He woke Anna by throwing a rock at her. He had no time for her to be complaining. She woke up rubbing her cheek.

"Hey! What was that for! Wait, you're hurt!" she noticed the wounds from Mithos' Holy Lance.

"It's nothing. We have to leave. More Desians are coming quickly, and I can't kill all of them," he replied hastily as he threw the pack onto Noishe's back. Anna nodded, and got up, still tired from the deprived sleep. She stretched her arms, and packed the blankets onto Noishe's back.

"Let's go," Kratos said, as they set out for Asgard. The night was still early, and Anna was very drowsy. She fell behind for the tenth time, asking for a break, when Kratos couldn't take it anymore.

"Just ride Noishe," he said irritably. Anna looked at the protozoan, then back at Kratos.

"Are you sure?" she asked, an image of her breaking Noishe's back. She scratched Noishe's ears affectionately, and Noishe whined back.

"Yeah. Once, two of my friends rode Noishe at the same time," he replied. Anna giggled, imagining Kratos and another person riding Noishe. She jumped onto Noishe, who didn't seem to notice Anna on top of him. Their pace of the companions increased drastically, and made it to Asgard at midnight.

Kratos checked into the inn, and handed Anna the keys, while she trudged up to the room, and fell asleep instantly. Kratos waited outside the door to her room, alert for anything strange. He already had his blade out, and was ready to strike.

Suddenly, Kratos heard a loud crash downstairs, and ran down, ready to fight any intruders. First, Kratos noticed the innkeeper, dead and on the floor, and an angel next to him, with bloodied blades. Instantly, the angel noticed Kratos, and had her swords ready.

"Lord Kratos! I will bring you back!" she yelled, as she charged to Kratos. He blocked one of the blades, but her other blade came down upon Kratos. He jumped out of the way, and began to cast magic, but he was too late. The angel sliced at his arm, forcing him to stop his concentration. He gasped in pain as he clutched his bloody arm. Kratos was defenseless against the angel. His right hand was cut deep into the nerve, and he couldn't wield his sword with his left hand. The angel raised its sword to strike Kratos down. He closed his eyes, and awaited his fate.

Suddenly, a white and green blur tackled the angel with great speed. He held the angel in his paws while Kratos could heal himself.

"First Aid," he muttered, while Noishe held the angel, but not for long. The angel stabbed Noishe in the stomach, knocking him over. She pointed her sword at Kratos. Kratos, however, seethed at his first, and only companion was nearly killed.

"Eruption!" he yelled with all his anger, burning the angel with mana filled lava, killing her instantly.

"Lord…Kratos! Have pity!" the angel said with dying gasps. She collapsed on the floor, dead. Kratos paid no pity to the dying angel as he knelt over the protozoan.

"I won't let you die, Noishe! Healing Wind!" he summoned his healing magic onto Noishe's wounds, sealing them and leaving a deep scar across his belly. The arshis woke slowly and licked Kratos.

"Noishe," he whispered as he hugged his comrade. The protozoan whined softly, and stood up.

"Wait for me outside, Noishe," he said as he noticed the rising sun. Kratos ran up the stairs to get Anna, but her room was empty. All that was left was a small paper on her bed.

_Kratos,_

_I saw you fighting the angel, and noticed that you are hiding something from me. Therefore, I want to leave you. You cannot hide secrets from me, and you lied to me. I hope I never want to see your lying and betraying face again._

_,Anna_

Kratos read the note twice, and then swore. She saw? He didn't even notice. Anna was probably almost to Haknosia Peak by now, and angels were probably after her too. Kratos left the room as quickly as he could to find Anna.

Anna had tears in her eyes. Kratos probably just lied to her about everything, even about being a mercenary. She hated liars more than anything, and would rather travel alone, than with Kratos. She was walking quickly, almost running to Haknosia Peak. She could see it in the dawning sky with a small house at the peak.

Anna ran as fast as she could when she passed the gate. She knew Kratos would probably follow her, not that she cared much. She just wanted to leave him, or hear his apologies.

Kratos was running as fast as he could to Haknosia Peak. The Desians were after her, and she'd get taken back to the ranch, all because he lied to her. Kratos ran faster, and made it to the peak shortly after Anna. Noishe ran ahead to find Anna quickly, while Kratos asked others if they saw her. He walked up to an old man and asked of Anna's whereabouts. The old man remembered her running away, and told him of what he saw. Kratos thanked him and continued his pursuit.

Anna was walking away from the peak and headed for Palmacosta, still in sadness. Suddenly, she heard footsteps behind her. Desians were crowding around her, ready to strike.

"Host bady A012!" one said, coming closer. Where was Kratos when you need him? She backed away from the approaching Desians. They laughed at her attempt to run, as she turned around to flee. Another Desian was right behind her, though, and Anna ran right into the armored chest. The Desian grabbed their escapee roughly by the hand, and pushed her back the way they came.

The Desians were scoffing and laughing at Anna as they walked towards the peak again.

"Growl!" a noise was heard behind them. Anna instantly knew it was Noishe.

"Noishe!" she yelled, as she saw the protozoan tackle a Desian, and rip out his face, while ducking from an oncoming whip. One Desian, supposedly the leader of the small group, gritted his teeth, and ordered for his comrades to attack. Before the Desians could get near, another voice was heard behind her.

"Leave her alone! Thunder Blade!" a large sword fell from the sky, killing most of the Desians. Kratos walked up to Anna, sword in hand.

"Kratos!" she began, but Kratos stopped her and sliced at a Desian. Noishe tore apart the last Desian, and then licked Anna. She smiled, and gave Noishe a hug. Noishe whined low, and licked Anna again, this time in the face.

"Kratos! I'm sorry! When I saw you fighting the angel, I knew, I knew that you were lying," she began to sob. Kratos felt terrible. If he told Anna the truth, he'd destroy her original perception of everything.

"Anna, you were not at fault. I lied, and you don't deserve that," he said softly, as he laid a hand on her shoulder. She continued to sob for a few more minutes while Kratos consoled her. Anna finally dried out her tears, and looked up at Kratos' expressionless face, which actually had a hint of sadness in his dark eyes.

She smiled and wiped her eyes.

"Kratos, I…thank you," she said as she tried to forget about the past. "Will you come with me, still?" she asked.

"I'll go with you, Anna. But before we do, I should explain myself," he said as he set up camp.

Mr.Who2123: Wow! I've got emotion rousing inside of Kratos!

Kratos: …It was touching in a way.

Mr.Who2123: You think so? That's a lot from a guy wearing a bra!

Kratos: I'm not wearing a…forget it. Please Review. And I'm NOT wearing a bra either.


	7. The Past Comes Back

The Past Comes Back

Mr.Who2123: Was sup dudes! I really like how you compliment my disclaimers! I spend more time thinking about them rather than the story. Wow! That show how undedicated I am! LOL. Okay, it's disclaimer time! Regal!

Regal: 'sup!

Mr.Who2123 ...I hate you, Regal.

Regal and Kratos: …

Mr.Who2123: Hey, Regal, can you write with your cuffs?

Regal: No, the metal gets in the way.

Mr.Who2123: Too bad. Cuz if you could sign this contract, you would own all the ice cream in the world, and I know how much you like ice cream.

Regal: Crap…No!

Mr.Who2123: And I just lost the key to your cuffs. Too bad!

Regal: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MR.WHO2123 DOES NOT OWN TALES OF SYMPHONIA BECAUSE IF SHE DID, I WOULD GIVE MY YEARLY INCOME OF 60 BILLION GALD TO KRATOS! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

Kratos: Why do you torture everyone?

Mr.Who2123: Why not?

Kratos: …We're starting…

Kratos managed to get a fire blazing by sunset. The two were sitting in silence, not daring to make eye contact. They sky turned pink as Anna ate silently, and Kratos watched the wild flames in front of him.

"Okay, I want the truth," Anna piped up as she set down her food. Kratos continued to stare at the blazing fire, as if he never heard her. "Kratos?" she asked as she tapped him on the shoulder. Kratos jumped from the touch, and gripped his sword hilt. He recovered from the shock, and finally looked to Anna.

"I suppose you want the truth," he stated quietly. Anna nodded, and sat next to Kratos. "Alright. No questions until the end and you decide if you want to believe it. It all started four thousand years ago. I was a little boy back then, and in the times of harsh war," he started explaining. Anna widened her eyes. Four thousand years?

"I met Mithos, Martel, and Yuan, three of my best friends, while traveling to try and end the Kharlan War. We managed to end the war, and give peace t the opposing nations, but…Martel died from a human. Mithos, Martel's brother, grew insane, and developed an organization called cruxis to try and revive his sister. Mithos split the opposing nations into two worlds to give all the mana to his sister. Sylverant and Tethe'alla are the two worlds that share Mana."

"We all equipped special exspheres to ourselves, called Cruxis Crystals, and used them to give us the appearance of an angel. We would find someone with a mana signature the same as Martel, and take away their soul, and try to offer the body to Martel. Mithos grew more and more insane over the thousands of years, until he developed an idea called the Age of Lifeless Beings, where no one can feel emotion, and as the name states, be lifeless. I, an underling of Mithos, left him in order to find a way to save the two worlds, because Mithos would not fix the worlds until he revives his sister." Kratos stared down at the fire the whole time. Anna listened intently, and was speechless.

"So, what about the Goddess of Martel? Is she?"

"-Nothing, but a fake idol. Martel is Mithos' sister, and that is it. Mithos made the two worlds believe Martel is a goddess and Mithos a hero who sacrificed his life," he finished. Anna nearly crumbled. All her life, she believed in Martel, but she was a fake. And Mithos didn't sound like a hero, either. She watched the fire blaze as tears formed in her eyes. Everything felt like a lie to her, and she couldn't stand it.

Kratos watched Anna with deep sorrow. She was realizing that there is no goddess and the hero was a weak hearted fool who couldn't live without his sister. Kratos put a hand on her shoulder, as the tears now ran down her cheeks.

"Anna…You should get some rest," he quietly said as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. Anna didn't reply as she crawled under the blanket, and then fell asleep fitfully. Kratos' heart hurt from destroying her reality, her belief. It felt strange to feel bad for someone else; he hadn't felt it since before he equipped his cruxis crystal.

Next morning, the two were quiet and somber as they headed for Palmacosta, the biggest city in Sylverant. When Anna could hear the boats, she smiled and ran towards the city.

"C'mon, you're so slow!" she mocked as she skipped away. Kratos walked faster to match her pace, and made it to Palmacosta. The people were happily doing their business as Kratos and Anna made for the port. They needed to cross as soon as possible. Anna looked at all the people around her. They were all excited about something, but she didn't know what.

When the two walked past the Governor's building, a huge draping was held at the top. The words read:

"General Dorr, the New Governor-General of Palmacosta! Celebration Tonight!"

"Look, Kratos!" she exclaimed, pointing to the sign.

"Anna, we can't go. Desians may invade and could get you," he sighed as he continued to the dock. Anna put her hands on her hips and sighed.

"Fine," she said as they passed by boats. They reached a large ship with the captain on the rail. Kratos walked up to the captain.

"We are requesting that we may ride your ship to Izoold. We will pay you 2,000 gald," he said as he took out the money. The captain looked at the money, and then smirked.

"Ye got yourself a deal, mate," he gruffly said as he clasped Kratos' arm and took the money. "But, I can't go 'till tomorrow. The celebration is holding everything up, of course. No ships can leave until it's over."

"Thank you," Kratos replied as he left the ship. Maybe they could go to the celebration now.

"Hey, Kratos! Can we go, now?" she pleaded, putting her trademark "sad face."

"I guess you could go. I will wait in the inn room," he sighed. "No, come with me!" she said as they walked into the inn. Kratos paid the inn keeper, and the two went inside the two bed room. Anna tried again.

"Come, on! It will be fun!" she exclaimed. Kratos merely shook his head and put his bag down. Not even Anna's face would change his mind.

"I don't like things like parties, and would rather eat a tomato," he said as he made a small face.

"But I won't have anyone with me!" she exclaimed. "Come, on! Just for me!" Anna tried the face one more time. Kratos stared into it, his face unchanging, not even in the slightest.

"Alright, I'll just go by myself," she muttered as she sat on the bed, her face away from Kratos. Without Kratos seeing her, she grinned deviously. This had to work. Kratos looked at the sad Anna who was hugging her knees, facing the window.

"Anna…," he began. Anna didn't even reply. "Listen, I'll…I'll go with you," he muttered. What did he just say? Anna jumped up and turned around, smiling.

"Yes! I always get my way!" she said cheerfully. Kratos was deeply aggravated, and could just kill her right there. Kratos sighed, and folded his arms.

"So you tricked me," he said, raising a brow. "Yup! You're easy to fool. You should have learned all those tricks in your lifetime!" she laughed.

"I'm not going," he said in an irritated voice.

"But you just-,"

"I'm not going," he said again in a slightly louder voice. "Buy something nice." Kratos threw her 500 gald, and left the room.

Kratos was sitting on a small table watching the unmoving ships in Palmacosta. He remembered the first time he ever celebrated.

_Kratos was in a black suit, annoyed with the tight collar. Yuan was next to him in similar clothing, laughing at Kratos' behavior._

_"Come on! Lighten up, Kratos! We're celebrating the end of the war," and with that, Yuan left, looking for Mithos. Martel had died only months ago, but Yuan was back to normal, and his cheerful self again. _

_Kratos walked through the halls of the building, wanting to be alone. Whenever some girl saw him, they would ask to dance, and Kratos, being 4,000 years younger, couldn't decline a woman. That night, his feet got stepped on endlessly, and he couldn't wear his boots for a couple days, because his feet were swollen. Kratos deemed that day the third worst day of his life._

_The first was when Martel died, and the second was when he tried a tomato._

Kratos never wanted to go to a celebration again, explaining his attitude towards Anna. Then his mind started conflicting with itself. It was just a party. What could go wrong? Kratos, however, wanted o stay away from anything with drunken woman, and he was sure there would be alcohol.

Kratos pondered about his decision until he saw Anna stomping over to him, with a nice dress and shoes in her hands.

"Why aren't you coming, now?" she yelled, infuriated. Kratos sighed. He forgot to think about what Anna would do to him. She'd force him to go most likely.

"I just don't want to go, that's all," he replied calmly, gazing at the vast sea.

"You listen, Kratos! You said you would go, and you change your mind, now! Why did you say you'd go in the first place?" she demanded.

"I felt pity for you when I thought you were sad, that's all," he replied calmly.

"You're no fun! You're a lazy person, with no liking for anything fun!" she yelled walking away.

"I know I am, Anna. I know I am," he muttered to himself.

Mr.Who2123: I don't know if he should go or not. I'm still deciding.

Kratos: So the women are all over me?

Mr.Who2123: Of course! I'd be all over you if you were real!

Kratos: …

Regal: I WANT MY ICECREAM! MOMMY! HOLD ME!

Mr.Who2123 & Kratos: o.O

Regal: You will get an ice cream if you review, so review you fools! MWAHAHAHA!

Mr.Who2123: He lost it.

Kratos: humph


	8. The Celebration

The Celebration

Mr.Who2123: Alright! From my quickest reviewer, Alaia, I will make him go! (Sorry to spoil it!)

Kratos: Why do you spoil everything?

Mr.Who2123: (ignores) Disclaimers! Come, Zelos!

Zelos: Hey, my beautiful hunnie!

Mr.Who2123: I hate you. Just like Regal. (Points to Regal who is twitching on the floor)

Zelos: So, you're a very creative hunnie!

(Zelos hugs Mr.Who2123, who gets pissed off major)

Mr.Who2123: watch it. (Pulls out a gun) unless you want to end up like Twitchy over there.

Regal: Mommy…ice cream…

Mr.Who2123: Besides, I'm engaged to Kratos!

Zelos: Gr, Kratos! You steal my hunnies!

Kratos: I'm not engaged to her, I'm married to Anna.

(Anna comes up and hugs Kratos)

(Mr. Who shoots Anna)

Mr.Who2123: And now you're engaged to me!

Kratos: No! (Starts crying)

Zelos: Hahahaha!

Mr.Who2123: It was for the best, Kratos.

(Kratos pulls out Last Fencer, and stabs Mr.Who2123 through the heart)

Mr.Who2123: Hey! That hurt!

Kratos: You're not dead?

Zelos: My hunny is invincible!

(Kratos backs away, and runs)

Mr.Who2123: Alright, Zelos. I'll give you a hug if you do disclaimers. I need to catch Kratos, though.

Zelos: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd make my hair short! Mr. Who! My hair is pretty! Well, let's worry later! It's time for my hug!

(They hug)

Mr.Who2123: We're starting. Time to catch Kratos…

It was only an hour until the celebration. Anna had her long Azure dress on, and was watching it shimmer. She had matching heels to go with it, and looked very elegant.

Anna left Kratos not too long ago, giving up on his impossible attitude. She really wanted him to go, not as a date, but as a friend. Surely Kratos would understand that at least.

Anna put her hair up in a loose bun, her chocolate hair sticking almost all the way up. She watched herself in the mirror as she put on an earring, and touched it to make it dangle. Anna was about to leave when she heard a knock. She rolled her eyes. It was probably Kratos, who would grab his sword to train or something 4000 year olds do. Well she didn't care. Anna walked through the room, and threw the door open.

There was Kratos, but not in his normal outfit. He wore a dark, almost black tuxedo, with no tie. He had his arms folded, and almost had a smirk on his face.

"Kratos!" exclaimed Anna as she gave him a friendly hug. "Thanks, but…why?" she asked as she let him through. Kratos sighed.

"Well, I didn't want to leave you by yourself, you'd have no fun," he said as he smiled. Anna beamed back.

"We still have an hour. What do you want to do?" Anna asked as she put her other earring on with higher spirits than before.

"Well, I was going to walk along the pier. Care to join?" he asked as he sat on one of the guest beds. Anna nodded, and walked with Kratos out of the room.

As they walked along the pier in silence, the friends could hear the waves splashing against the rocks on the beach. There were boats everywhere, but none moved at all due to the celebration. Anna was content, she held onto Kratos' arm as they strode along the wooden floor of the pier.

Kratos was looking ahead, his face slightly brighter than the usual scowl. He hadn't felt this way since he and his old companions traveled all of Symphonia. Kratos actually felt happy for the first time in a long time.

While Anna and Kratos were walking back to the city, a large bell started ringing.

"Oh! That means the celebration is starting!" Anna exclaimed as she pulled Kratos along with her to the government building. Men and women of all sizes and ages were crowded around the building and ready to have a great time. Anna and Kratos joined the mob as they slowly entered the building.

Balloons and decorations covered the once simple government building into a great dance place. Couples were already dancing on the dance floor, and others were eating. At the end of the building was General Door with his wife. They smiled broadly as they greeted their guests.

Anna jumped with glee.

"Kratos, let's get some drinks!" she said as she led him to the food tables. They sat and drank their drinks in awkward silence. It was bad enough for Kratos going, but having to spend it with Anna was what made him nearly decline her plea.

Dorr walked up to Kratos and shook his hand.

"Congratulations," he said as he made a small smile. Door smiled back. "I'm Kratos, and this is-"

"I'm Anna. We're engaged right now," she said as she also shook Dorr's hand. Kratos turned to Anna for a brief moment, then back to the general.

"Sorry," he apologized. What was up with that crazy girl?

"It's alright," Dorr replied. "I remembered when I was engaged to my Clara." Dorr hugged his wife.

"Be seeing you, Kratos!" he called as he and Clara left. Kratos turned on Anna.

"What was that lie for?" he asked with his arms folded and an eyebrow raised. Anna stifled a laugh.

"I don't want to tell him you're a mercenary. We sound, well, like wanted people," she replied.

"We don't sound like wanted people," Kratos replied confused, but remained calm. What was in her mind?

"Think about it. They would ask why I have a mercenary, and might suspect that I'm wanted! Posters are everywhere!" she brought her voice higher, but not in a yell.

"Why would Door turn you in? He _fights_ the Desians, not sides with them," he said.

"Well, I just wanted to say were engaged because of what I just said, and because I don't want random men asking to dance!" she laughed. Kratos rolled his eyes.

"So you expect me to dance with you?" he asked, but knew well enough she would say yes.

"Of course, silly!" she said. His prediction was right. Just then, the song finished, and slow one came on.

_Oh, great,_ Kratos thought sarcastically. Kratos and Anna walked on the dance floor, and put there arms on the right places: Anna had one arm around Kratos' back while she held his left hand, and Kratos had his arm around her waist, and had his hand in hers. The two stepped in cooperation, and to Kratos' pleasure, didn't step on each other's feet.

Kratos and Anna moved to the beat, but slightly slower due to Kratos' lack of remembering how to dance. As they moved across the floor, Kratos wondered how Anna danced so gracefully, and decided to ask.

"Well, I used to take lessons," she replied softly when Kratos asked. Anna was holding tight, she didn't want to let go. She wanted the song to last forever, and stay in Kratos' arms.

Kratos wasn't enjoying the moment just as much, but he wasn't annoyed at all. The dancing flooded his mind with memories he had almost forgotten, thinking about them in content. Before the two knew it, they had sped up to the beat of the song, and maybe even faster.

They stared at each other with happiness until the song ended. Reluctantly, Anna let go of Kratos and walked over to the food table for some food. _Typical for Anna_, he thought. Kratos had enjoyed the dance with Anna and walked over to her.

"Hey," he said as she was grabbing some mashed potato. She jumped when she heard him, and flung the potato out of the spoon. I flew high in the air, the splattered on top of Kratos' messy hair.

"Oops! Sorry Kratos!" she apologized, but she was laughing. Kratos felt the food in his hair, and pulled it out.

"Anna, please don't do that," he said irritably as he flung the food into a trashcan. Anna handed him a napkin, and he wiped the remaining bits off his hair.

"Are you hungry, Kratos?" she asked when she finished gathering a large helping of rolls on her plate. Kratos shook his head and grabbed a glass of water. He walked over to a small table, and waited for Anna to gather her food.

He thought about the dance only minutes ago. He felt strange, almost warm, when he danced with Anna, like all his old emotions were flooding back to him, but how? Wouldn't they of come back before he met Anna?

"Kratos? Are you okay? You looked really solemn," Anna said as she placed a plate of food on the table. Kratos nodded, and then took a drink of the water while Anna dug into her food. Either she was hungry, or an animal. Kratos guessed it was the first, as he watched Anna obliterate her food. Kratos sighed, and continued his thinking, only to be interrupted.

"…ain? You want to dance again?" Anna began to ask, and Kratos' thoughts dispersed again.

"Sure," he replied as he took another sip of his beverage. Anna practically pulled him out of his chair, and into another slow song.

"You seem to like dancing," he said as they began to dance to another slow song. The feeling Anna had returned. She was completely happy.

"Yeah. You're a really good dancer. It makes dancing fun," she replied cheerfully. Kratos smiled. He knew it wasn't true. He had to keep focused to not step on Anna's feet. Too soon for the two, the song ended, and Kratos and Anna still clutched each other. They gazed into each other's faces until they realized what they were doing.

Immediately, they broke apart, flushed and facing away from each other. Anna scratched the back of her head, and then made an excuse to go to the bathroom. Quickly, she headed for the door, and went straight to the sink with a mirror in front of it. She stared longingly at her reflection, not understanding what was going on. She couldn't like that old loser, not in a million years. Anna sighed, and then straightened her hair as she thought of Kratos.

Kratos was leaning against a table, thinking as well. Anna had unleashed some of his emotions, but why? She was just a host body, whom Kvar would catch soon. The Desians would never stop looking for her, and if Kratos stayed with her, she would be in more danger.

Suddenly, a young blonde woman with an expensive dress walked up to Kratos.

"Hey, boy. Want to dance?" she asked. Kratos could smell the alcohol in her breath, and politely declined. The woman swore as she stumbled away, yelling that she was too pretty to be without a boy. Kratos shook his head in amusement, and then decided to go out to the small backyard just out the door.

Kratos leaned against the fence and breathed in, and held his breath for only a second before exhaling. He felt the breeze gently push the flaps of his collars in the direction of the wind. He closed his eyes, and before he knew it, he felt someone stand next to him.

"Hey, Kratos," Anna said softly. They were both embarrassed by the delicate situation, and a conversation was slightly awkward between the two, alone. "Let's go back to the inn, I'm tired," Anna suggested. She wanted to think, and go to bed. Kratos nodded, and began to walk her back to the inn, both tired from the events.

Anna barely changed before falling asleep with no covers on her. She snored loudly as Kratos got changed as well. He folded his clothes, and decided to sell them in the morning. Kratos sat on his bed, and waited for morning to come.

Mr.Who2123: Emotion! EMOTION! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, and if anyone who had written a Kranna fanfic with a dance scene was wondering, I did NOT steal your ideas. I know some of you have similar ideas, but I didn't steal your ideas I promise.

Kratos: You made your point.

Mr.Who2123: You're back! (hugs Kratos)

Kratos: Let's be…friends, not engaged. (For Pete's sakes You are crazy!)

Mr.Who2123: Okay.

Zelos: So, that means you're mine, you beautiful hunny!

Mr.Who2123: Don't push your luck, you idiot chosen. (holds gun)

Zelos: Sheesh. Review so I can give all my reviewing hunnies a hug!

Mr.Who2123 & Kratos: Man, that sucks for the reviewers…


	9. Attack at Sea

Izoold

Mr.Who2123: Alright! After emotions showing, it's time to say good bye…or is it? READ!

Kratos: I can't believe I'm still here…

Mr.Who2123: Yup! You've been with me for awhile, huh? Just like Anna! Okay, disclaimers! Presea!

Presea: What do you seek from my presence, psychotic person?

Mr.Who2123 & Kratos: o.O

Mr.Who2123: Disclaimers!

Presea: This fake identity of a person named Mr.Who2123 does not own the game Tales of Symphonia, owned by Namco. If she did, my axes would be bigger than Kratos, though.

Mr.Who2123: You're weird… (Sorry to all presea fans. To let you know, I'm not sorry to Regal or Zelos fans, though!)

Kratos: humph

Mr.Who2123: Oooo! Presea's hair is…pink! And HUGE!

Presea & Kratos: …

Presea: Fake person of Mr.Who2123 makes obvious comments…

Mr.Who2123: okay…Let's start!

Anna awoke the next morning more refreshed than she had before in a long time. The sun was reaching the sky, its pale glow reflecting the ocean. She recalled what happened, and then looked around for Kratos. He was on the edge of his bed, it was already made, and he appeared deep in thought.

"Hey," she said softly, not even expecting him to hear. Kratos blinked, and then looked at Anna, then nodded solemnly.

"Let's go. We can eat on the boat," he said as he left the room with his bag. Anna jumped out of bed and got dressed quickly to be able to talk to him. Anna charged out of the room and down the stairs to find Kratos in the middle of leaving the inn. He heard Anna and looked back. Anna was skipping the steps downstairs.

_What is up with her?_ He thought as he slapped his face with his hand. Anna walked next to him and half smiled.

"I could have waited, you know," he said while they were out of the inn. The air was fresh and salty, and Anna loved to breathe it in.

"I know, I just wanted to talk to you," she replied in her usual cheery voice.

"About yesterday?" he asked, the inevitable yes was the answer.

"Yeah, didn't you feel…you know, weird?" she asked nervously.

"No," he lied. Kratos had actually felt happy that night, in four thousand years.

"Oh," she replied, quieter than usual. She had expected him to agree, but maybe it was just her. "Anyways, how long is the ship ride to Izoold?" she asked, trying to shrug off her feelings.

"Only about a day and a half. Boats aren't very fast, they are equivalent to us taking a five minute break every twenty minutes," he replied.

"Wow, you're a lot smarter than I thought. I thought you just knew how to fight and use magic," she replied as she laughed inside. Kratos rolled his eyes. He was getting rid of this girl, once and for all, and was glad to.

It made him think back to Luin when he said he'd leave Anna while he'd look for the Pact Ring, but somehow, he stayed with her. Anna and Kratos made it to the pier, and found their boat quickly. The captain shook their hands as he welcomed them to his ship.

Anna smiled back, but Kratos didn't even reply. The captain, named Dart, showed them their cabin with two small makeshift beds, and one nightstand for a lamp. A rug was placed in the middle, where Noishe would sleep. Noishe, who had climbed the boat as well, lay down on the rug and whined.

"Why does Noishe get a rug?" she whined as she scratched Noishe's ears. Kratos folded his arms.

"He's slept in worse places. This isn't a problem for him," he replied stiffly.

"That's a funny looking dog ya got there, mate!" the captain said, looking at the protozoan. Noishe almost gave him a look that said: I'm not weird, you ugly man!

"Well, I'll be starting me ship, now," he said as he left the cabin. Anna sat on one of the beds and grabbed a pillow. Looking deviously at Kratos, she threw it at him, feathers flying. Kratos didn't even flinch when it smashed into his face, and he was annoyed by the childish action.

"So, you want to play rough?" he asked darkly, gripping his sword hilt. _Uh-oh, I crossed the line,_ Anna thought as she bit her lip. Suddenly, he grabbed the pillow, and thrust it at her face with his inhuman strength. It smashed against her face, and sent her tumbling to the edge of the bed. Anna looked up and saw Kratos chuckling. Anna put her hands on her hips in an irritated way.

"You scared me, Kratos! You're really rude!" she yelled, though not loudly. Kratos only continued his small laugh, and shook his head.

"I'll be watching the ocean, now," he said abruptly as he left the cabin. Kratos walked up the wooden steps, and to the deck. A few sailors were running around doing their jobs, but other than that, it was quiet. Kratos leaned against the rail of the ship and gazed at the ocean. He could see fish swimming along the ship, and daring monsters following the ship as well.

Kratos continued his watching, and wondered what would happen if he could not find the Pact Ring. It could be somewhere within Heimdall, and the elf elder would have it. That was only a slight chance though.

Anna saw Kratos deep in thought. When was he not? She leaned over the rail next to him, and felt the ocean breeze stroke her face. Anna sighed, and closed her eyes. She would soon be at Izoold, it would be her new home…but would she like it? Anna looked over at the moving water, and spotted several fish swimming frantically away from the boat, and then looked at Kratos who was looking back at her.

"Are you thinking about Izoold?" he asked as he returned his gaze to the horizon. "Yeah," she replied as she looked back as well. Suddenly, a giant thump erupted from the boat, and tipped it over briefly. Anna fell back, but Kratos caught her, and the boat rocked back to its original stance.

"What was that?" Anna asked, running to the rail and looking for something that could have caused the ship to nearly tip over. Kratos ran to the other side of the boat, and looked as well.

"It's probably a monster. Keep a sharp eye!" Kratos called as he looked as well. Kratos' prediction was right when something pushed the ship up from under, and it fell to the side, nearly tipping over. Anna had to hold the rails to not fall of, but Kratos unsheathed his blade, and looked around.

"Hold on, Anna!" he yelled as he jumped off the ship, and into the ocean. Kratos looked around for the monster, and noticed a giant sea dragon under the boat. It was long like an eel, but had arms, and sharp teeth. It was a pale blue color, and spikes ran down its long back. Kratos managed to focus, and cast a spell while in the water.

"Thunder Blade!" he yelled as the thunder mana shaped into a sword strike the beast. It roared and noticed its tiny prey, and moved towards Kratos. Its mouth opened and engulfed Kratos.

As the beast tightened its jaws around Kratos, he thrust his flamberge into the roof of its mouth and charred the skin. Instantly, the dragon thrashed about in pain, and Kratos managed to grab hold if his sword stuck in the sea dragon's mouth, and fell.

Anna watched in horror as the sea dragon slashed at everything around him. The last she saw of Kratos was when he fell out of the dragon's mouth.

"Kratos!" she yelled, expecting him to come out of the mouth and destroy the dragon. Nothing happened though, and Anna called his name again. Instead of Kratos hearing though, the sea dragon heard Anna, and swam towards the boat.

Anna screamed when her hand slipped from the rails, and she tumbled back and into a wall. Her head hurt from the impact, and she struggled to get up. The se dragon was now next to the boat, its mouth closed from the pain of Kratos' sword. Anna cringed as it moved its head forward to strike her down.

Anna watched in horror as the dragon opened its jaws and jerked its head to Anna. Suddenly, the dragon threw back its head in pain as a sword struck the beast's eye. Kratos was in front of Anna, his body completely drenched and strained.

"Kratos!" Anna exclaimed as she stood up again.

"Stay out of the way, you'll get hurt," he said coldly as he raised his sword. Anna silently did what she was told, and ran into the cabin to find the captain. Kratos jumped away from a giant claw, and ducked from the deadly jaws of the dragon. Kratos then leaped onto the dragon's hand, and stabbed the scaled hand into the boat, and rolled away from its clamping jaws.

Making sure no one was around, he summoned his best spell. "Judgment!" he yelled, pointing his finger at the dragon. Rays of light fell continuously on the dragon, strike after strike.

The dragon roared in pain, the slumped off the boat, and into the ocean. Kratos grabbed his sword, bloody from the wound it made. Kratos sheathed his blade, and then walked in the ship to find Anna and Dart.

Anna was in the cabin with the captain, silent and scared. They had heard the dragon roar, and many loud noises, but they had no idea what was happening. When Kratos opened the door, Anna screamed, and the captain reached for his gun, but then sighed when they saw Kratos.

"Did ye slay the monster, mate?" he asked nervously. Kratos nodded, and sat down on a chair next to the door. Anna jumped with glee, and the captain resumed driving his wheel.

"Good job, Kratos!" Anna said as she slapped him on the back. Kratos made a half smile, and then walked off to the cabin. Anna followed, and the two made it to their room. Kratos unbuckled his belt and threw it on his bed. He then took off his cloak which weighed considerably more since it soaked some of the ocean water.

Anna sat on her bed and closed her eyes. She was tired, but she couldn't sleep. Anna felt the exsphere on her neck. I practically ruined her life, but she was…content with her life. She watched Kratos take off his belts and then ran his gloved hands through his hair.

"Let's go eat, Kratos," Anna suggested as she rose from her bed. Kratos nodded, and then kept his belts on, but left his cloak.

Dart had made a large meal of many types of fish, shrimp, and crabs, all cooked to perfection. Anna had never had seafood before, it was expensive in Luin where little fish, and no shrimp lived. She poked the food with her fork, and then stabbed a piece of fish. Anna ate it, and loved it immediately. She downed two servings while Kratos ate slowly. When dinner was over, Anna was about to barf, while Kratos looked at her in confusion.

"How do you eat so much?" he asked, and Anna rolled her eyes.

"How do you eat so little?" she asked back, but in a mocking tone. Kratos rose, and helped Anna up.

"Are you two lovebirds married?" the captain asked suddenly, noticing Kratos' kindness towards Anna. The companions froze, and then both blurt out.

"No, we are just traveling," said Kratos in his usual tone.

"N-no! Of course not!" Anna stammered as they left the table. The captain sat in puzzlement at his customers strange replies. They looked like a couple, acted like a couple, but weren't a couple.

"Oh, well," he muttered to himself as he cleaned up.

Mr.Who2123: Okay, my reviewers (I'm mainly talking to Skyhawk. You're the only one who reviews…) tell me if the fight scene was good or not, or if it was described enough, etc., etc. I am trying to work better on fight scenes so review about it please!

Kratos: You barely mentioned Noishe…

Mr.Who2123: I know. I'm just too lazy to go back and mention him or whatever.

Presea: psychotic unreal person named Mr.Who2123 has a 95 percent chance of having head cut off.

Mr.Who2123: What?

Kratos: I concur. (pulls out Last Fencer) this is for Anna!

(Kratos tries to slice off Mr. Who's head, but Mr.Who2123 is a hologram)

Mr.Who2123: Mwhahahahahahahahahaha! Chuck Norris! Get him!

(Chuck Norris round house kicks Kratos in stomach, and knocks him out. Then Mr.Who2123 ties up Kratos)

Mr.Who2123: Now he's mine forever! Mwahahahahahahaha!

Chuck: Where's my fifty bucks?

Mr.Who2123: Ummmm, you're doing this as an act of charity and kindness?

Chuck: Alright! If you need help, just call for Chuck Norris!

(Chuck Norris flies away o.O)

Mr.Who2123: REVIEW! Or I'll have Chuck kill you! MWAHAHA!


	10. Izoold

Mr.Who2123: Welcome to my story! (In evil and weird voice)

Kratos: Why are you saying that?

Mr.Who2123: Because I know that there are new people reading this!

Kratos: okay…

Mr.Who2123: Anyways, I really really really want to thank Alaia Skyhawk for dedicating a chappie of her story (It's really, really good!) to me. I want to thank you for being my favorite reviewer, and constantly helping with my fanfics. (I should help her on her fanfics, though. I don't give a lot of constructive criticism!) I was delighted, so I want to return the favor. Skyhawk, you're doing the Disclaimers!

Skyhawk: Hey Mr.Who2123!

Mr.Who2123: Hey, Skyhawk, if you do the disclaimers, I'll let you hug Kratos!

Skyhawk: Really?

Kratos: Don't I have a saying in this?

Mr.Who2123: No! Don't make me get Chuck Norris out here!

Kratos: …

Skyhawk: Alright! Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd use her annual income to take over the world!

(Skyhawk hugs Kratos really tight, and then almost breaks his windpipe)

Kratos: (cough cough)

Mr.Who2123: Nice one, Skyhawk!

Kratos: (glare)

Mr.Who2123 & Skyhawk: We're starting now!

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Izoold

The next morning, Anna felt sick to the stomach. She clutched her stomach, and sat up in her bed. It took her awhile to realize she was in the boat, and groaned.

"Are you seasick?" Kratos asked on the bed next to her. He was cleaning his flamberge, which still had blood all over it from the battle against the sea dragon.

"I think so," she tried to say in a cheerful voice, but it ended up sounding like a croak. Kratos nodded and continued his work on his sword. Anna got up, and started to sway from the ship, and then fell back down.

"I don't think you should move," Kratos said without even looking up. Anna did as she was told and laid back down on the bed.

"Are we almost there?" Anna asked while pulling the covers over her.

"Only about a half an hour," he replied as he finished scraping the rest of the blood of his sword. He threw the rag down, and then sliced at the air a couple of times. Satisfied, Kratos sheathed his blade, and then put it on his bed.

"Want me to get you something to eat?" he asked as he began to head towards the door.

"Sure," she replied as she watched Kratos leave. Anna turned to her side to get some sleep, but her stomach began to hurt, so she just gave up.

Kratos came back after a few minutes with some fruit, a fish, and some fresh water. He placed the food on her bed, and then turned around to leave again. Anna ate in silence, and only managed to eat half of what Kratos brought her. Anna placed the food on the small table, and then tried to sleep, but it failed like last time. She tossed and turned until she couldn't take it, and got up. She walked through the door, and then nearly fell over from the rocking of the boat. Anna clutched the door, and prayed that she didn't fall down as she passed through the door, and onto the deck.

Kratos was in the captain's room, making a light conversation with Dart; although he didn't usual like to talk.

"Aye, she'll be better when she reaches shore, mate," he said as he turned the wheel of the ship, and then looked to his right.

"She didn't seem very well, and she might throw up if she doesn't stay in bed," he sighed as he gazed at the sea. The floor of the ocean could be seen, and starfish and coral were seen everywhere in the water. Izoold was not far off, and Kratos could make out the few wooden buildings.

"Hey…woah!" Anna had walked into the room, but fell over from the jerk of the ship, and landed on her bottom. "Owwww, that hurt," she moaned as she rubbed her back.

"Anna, you should be in bed," Kratos said as he got up to help her up. He could not help but smirk at Anna's fall, and Anna saw the evident gleam in his eye, and small smile twisting onto his face.

"It's not funny you know!" she said annoyed, but that made Kratos' smile get bigger as he pulled her arm up and bring her to her feet.

"Let's go to the deck," he said as he helped her leave the room. Anna and Kratos were leaning on the rails like they had done the day before. Kratos stared at the small fishing town with discomfort. It was hard to imagine a person like Anna living in such a small and quiet town. He shook his head and scattered his thoughts. She has to live there; it was the only way for her to be safe.

"That's Izoold right?" Anna asked, as she went on the tips of her toes to see the buildings that camouflaged with the mountains behind it pretty well.

"Yeah, that will be your new home," Kratos replied, still in discomfort. She was going to leave him, once and for all, but he couldn't help but shake this feeling of sadness that overcame him while he stared at the small village.

"It's kind of small, though," Anna pointed out as she tore her gaze away from the village to look at Kratos. Kratos only nodded, and then stood up. Kratos left Anna to think. (Mr.Who2123: What a surprise! I'm shocked!)

He went into the quietness of his room and picked up his book that he had brought with him since he had left Mithos. Kratos flipped to the last page and read the contents with much thought. It was his own writing, and it explained what happened during the Kharlan War. He smiled at some parts, and gritted his teeth in others. He didn't know how explained so much on one single page. He felt a rush of sadness when he read about how Martel died at the hands of some human warriors of Tethe'alla.

A door opening broke his thoughts, and Kratos instantly closed the book. Anna was standing at the doorway, looking at the book. It was the one she had tried to read while Kratos was unconscious. Kratos turned around and gave an annoyed glare.

"Sorry if I'm bugging you," she said in a mocking tone as she crawled into her bed. Her stomach was feeling better, and she was tired.

"Sorry," Kratos muttered, and continued to read the page. Anna watched him read, and felt a wave of sadness come over her. Kratos was reading with a look of extreme pain, and looked like he might break down any minute. Anna wanted to say something, but refrained herself and just continued to watch Kratos.

Kratos closed his eyes after reading the page, and could have sworn he felt a tear coming to his eye. Instantly, he forced it back, not allowing Anna to see him cry from a book, although he knew she would have seen the glisten in his eye.

"Are you okay?" she asked, noticing a tear forming in his eye.

"Y…yeah," he managed to choke. Since when has it been that hard to talk after reading that? "It's just…nothing," he managed to say without stumbling over his words.

"You can tell me," Anna replied with concern as she sat herself down next to Kratos. Kratos sighed and looked at the book with agony.

"It reads about what we did during the Kharlan War…just the big things, though. I was reading about Martel's death, and how sad we were," he explained.

"Will you read it to me?" she asked softly, almost in a whisper, as she stared at the book as well.

"Very well," Kratos agreed as he flipped the book open again.

"Martel was running, running as fast as she could, even though she knew death was upon her. She clung to the small hope that clung to her, the small ray of light in the void of dark. A human, a prejudice and stubborn creature, followed her. Martel fell, and in that instance, the void shut out the light, and all hope was lost.''

Mithos came to find the human with his sword dangerously close to Martel's throat, and yelled in anger. The human only laughed as he jerked the blade, and Martel, the pure maiden, Mithos the hero's sister, fell. Mithos took Martel in his arms and tears stung as they poured down his face.

'Martel, don't die!' he cried as he hugged the near lifeless body of Martel. Martel opened her eyes only the slightest, and smiled, a sweet smile, despite her fate. All of us couldn't help but cry as she held onto Mithos' hand.

'Mithos, I have one favor to ask of you, my dear brother,' her thin, raspy voice said as she continued to smile, but she was getting weaker. 'Please end the discrimination of races. That is my only wish. I love…you…Mith…os,' were Martel's final words, as she hung limp, her smile gone, and her hand fell from Mithos.

'No! Martel! You can't go! You…can't,' he whispered as he rocked the lifeless body in his arms."

Anna's eyes filled with tears at the beautiful writing, and the tragic death of an innocent victim.

"Kratos, I had no idea you," she began, looking into Kratos' dark eyes. "You have so much sadness and hate, but you keep it locked up inside of you." Anna put a hand on Kratos' shoulder, and Kratos looked up.

"You should let out your sadness and anger. It's alright to share it. That's what friends are for," she reassured her companion. Kratos' eyes began filling with tears as he nodded, only a little to show he understood, and was thankful for Anna's words. Kratos leaned forward and embraced Anna, tears softly falling down his cheeks.

"Thank you," he whispered.

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Mr.Who2123: awwwwwwwww! So cute! Don't you think so, too?

Skyhawk: (dabs eyes with a handkerchief) so beautiful!

(Kratos blows nose really loud) So…so (sobs) emotional!

Mr.Who2123 & Skyhawk: Holy crap! Since when are you like that?

Kratos: …um…

Mr.Who2123: yeah, whatever…

Skyhawk: Review!


	11. A New Home

Mr.Who2123: What's up my friends! This is my second update today, and I might do a third if I'm not distracted. Okay, it is my disclaimer time! Come, Sheena!

Sheena: Hey, Mr.Who2123

Kratos: You better just say the disclaimers before you get hurt, Sheena.

Sheena: Why? Mr.Who2123 seems nice…

(Kratos points to a dead Raine and Lloyd, Genis and Regal are in fetal positions and muttering, Presea is muttering about her calculations incorrect, and Zelos is muttering about how Mr.Who2123 is a threat to men.)

Sheena: Wow, she did that?

Kratos: Yeah…

Mr.Who2123: Sheena! I want a doughnut!

Sheena: Okay…I summon thee, the master of sweets, Come DOUGHNUT!

(Doughnut appears in her hand)

Sheena: Here…

Mr.Who2123: Doughnut! (Obliterates doughnut…poor doughnut) Now it's time for disclaimers!

Sheena: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd own Tales of Phantasia, too. (A stupid comment…)

Kratos: …

Mr.Who2123: Let's begin!

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Izoold (I swear they are there this time!)

Kratos let his embrace with Anna end as he drew back and wiped the few tears he had shed.

"Thank you, Anna," he said as he stood up. "We're probably going to land in Izoold soon, so get your things ready," and with that, Kratos left. Anna stared at the place Kratos was seconds ago.

"Poor guy," she said as she gathered her items. Kratos was gazing at Izoold now, but the sight of the village made him angry. He tried to tell himself that it was for Anna's own good, but he liked her presence. He enjoyed speaking with her, laughing with her, or even feeling sad for her. Kratos wished he could just turn the ship around, but he shook his feelings away. _I have a job to do_, he thought.

The boat finally made it to Izoold, and the sailors were bustling about, bringing cargo and other items to Izoold. Anna felt much better after jumping onto land, and did one of her twirls.

"Kratos, it's nice here! I might like it!" she exclaimed as she breathed in deeply. Kratos smiled, and brought Noishe out of the boat. He was extremely tired, and fell asleep at Kratos' feet when they stopped walking.

"He couldn't sleep last night," he explained as he woke the protozoan. Noishe looked up at him, and then whined in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Noishe, but you can sleep at the inn," he said in response to Noishe's whine. Noishe trudged with Anna and Kratos to the inn, and got a room quickly to let Noishe sleep.

"Anna, let's go to the beach," Kratos suggested as he took off his cloak. Anna nodded, and walked with Kratos out of the room.

Anna noticed Kratos' look of sadness as the two walked along the sandy shore. No one was outside, and the beach seemed deserted.

"Hey, cheer up! You're going to get rid of me! You should be happy!" she assured the mercenary, but he just shook his head.

"That's why I'm not very jubilant right now. I like it when you're with me…and I'll miss you," he replied in his monotone voice. Anna threw an arm over his shoulder.

"You should stay and help me start my life," she said, and Kratos smiled. He felt he was smiling too much.

"Not now, Anna. The innkeeper said he'd take care of you until you get you're house," he replied. "Remember, I have to save the two worlds."

"Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting that you are trying to save the two worlds. Well, I guess it will be good bye for awhile, then?" she said as she dug her toes into the soft sand.

Anna sat down and made herself comfortable in the sand, and Kratos followed her example. The cool waves covered their feet, and then slowly retreated towards the ocean. The water repeated itself, coming back and forth, back and forth.

"Anna, I'll have to go soon," Kratos suddenly said, his gaze on the clouds above them.

"Alright, I understand," she replied in a small voice. Kratos got up and grabbed his things, and woke up Noishe.

"We have to save the worlds, Noishe," Kratos whispered into the protozoan's wing like ear, and it stood up and stretched from its short nap.

Anna was waiting outside as Kratos left the inn with all his belongings in hand.

"Bye, Anna," he said. Noishe whined softly and licked Anna. She knelt down and hugged the "dog", wrapping her arms around his furry chest.

"Bye, Kratos," she slowly said as she got up just as slow. Anna threw her arms around Kratos and hugged him. Kratos was shocked, but returned the embrace with his own.

"Alright, Anna. I'm going now," he said as he let go of her shoulders. "Try not to mess up things too bad," he smiled. Anna smiled back and waved goodbye to her two friends as they disappeared into the horizon.

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Mr.Who2123: Why am I so into the emotion thing?

Kratos: I like hugging Anna…

Mr.Who2123: We are talking about my problems, not yours!

Kratos: …

Sheena: Who wants doughnuts and root beer?

Mr.Who2123: Oh! Me, me, me!

Kratos: I would like some as well.

Sheena: Alright! I summon thee, master of sweets and goddess of beverages, come DOUGHNUT AND ROOT BEER!

(Root beer and doughnuts are in her hands)

Sheena: Eat up!

(The three eat up the dozen doughnuts and three two liter bottles of root beer)

Mr.Who2123: I think I'm (hiccup) drunk!

Kratos: I've been drunk before. This is worse!

Sheena: Ahhhh…review please!


	12. Separation Never Lasts

Mr.Who2123: Hi! So sorry for the short chapter, my sister needed to go on, so I had to wrap up ASAP. I'll try to make up for it with a long chapter…Now it's disclaimer time! (P.S. The innkeepers are all named Hunter on behalf of my brother. He wanted to be a part of the story…)

Kratos: ahhhh…still drunk…last chapter!

Sheena: ahhhhhh…

Mr.Who2123: Anyways…I want Yggdrasil!

Yggdrasil: Wretched being! (Gets on all four, and tackles Mr.Who2123)

Mr.Who2123: Ahhh! Rabid dog…half elf guy!

Kratos: Come here, boy!

Yggdrasil: (growls then sits next to Kratos)

Sheena & Mr.Who2123: o.O

Mr.Who2123: Yggdrasil! Do the disclaimers!

Yggdrasil: Grrr! Wretched…wretched, wretched human! Wretched human!

Mr.Who2123: Translation: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, Yggdrasil would have better clothes than that disco suit…thingy. (Sorry to those Yggdrasil fans)

Kratos: humph…We're starting now…

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Anna watched Kratos leave. At first he was walking, but soon there was a flash of light and he had wings.

"Oh my!" Anna whispered as Kratos flew off towards the Tower of Salvation.

Anna watched Kratos until he was out of sight, then trudged back to the inn. The inn keeper, named Hunter, pat her on the back.

"He'll be back soon, I know it," he said as he looked at her with kind eyes.

"I hope you're right," Anna replied more to herself than to Hunter. "I'll be in my room," she said as she ran up the stairs. Anna sat at the window of her room, and made circles out of the dust on the window pane as she watched.

Two years later, with the help of all the villagers, Anna had built her own small house, and had a job of fishing. Every morning, she would wake up early and get onto her own small fishing boat and catch fish to sell.

Anna loved fish, and sometimes saved the best for herself, but she sold most of them to the shop, and then would have free time to do whatever she wanted for the rest of the day. Anna would usual sit by the beach, and play with the little kids around her. Everyone loved Anna, but she wasn't content. She had missed one person in those two years.

"Kratos, where are you?" she asked herself as she gazed at the ocean horizon. Anna had also missed Noishe. She had never seen a weirder dog, but she loved his big black eyes and sleek fur.

"Anna? Are you alright?" a young man asked. He had short, black hair, and deep green eyes. He had like Anna since the day she came, and tried to get her love.

"Yeah, just thinking, Aaron," she replied as she returned her gaze to the sea.

"Mind if I join?" Aaron asked as he didn't wait for an answer and sat down anyways. There were a few minutes of silence, and then Anna sighed.

"Aaron, I've been thinking about something ever since I came here," she began, her voice soft. Aaron listened intently. Was she going to admit her love to him?

"You've liked me since I came here, but," Aaron cast his eyes down. The "but" meant she didn't like him. "There's another guy out there, and I miss him, so until he comes back, I will not marry," she finished. Aaron brightened. There was still hope for him.

"Does that mean-"

"No, I do not love you, but I like you as a friend," she smiled, although she knew it wouldn't cheer him up.

"Alright, so friends?" he tried to assure himself.

"Friends," Anna replied, and the two did a high five.

"Let's go back I'm freezing," Anna muttered as she wrapped her arms around herself. The sky was darkening, and the first few stars were visible.

"Alright," he replied as they parted ways.

The next morning was a rude awakening for Anna.

"Anna. Anna! Wake up! Someone wants to see you!" an older man, Aaron's father urged.

"Huh? Who?" she asked as she yawned and sat up.

"Says he's an old friend," the man replied, and then left Anna's house. Anna got dressed as quickly as possible. It was Kratos, it had to be. He kept her waiting long enough. Anna ran outside, and saw a familiar figure tackle her.

"Noishe!" Anna squealed as Noishe licked her face relentlessly, and finally got off when he was satisfied she had her greetings.

"Hey, Anna," said yet another familiar voice. Kratos was standing with Noishe at his side, looking the same with his messed up hair and his mercenary outfit.

"Kratos!" she yelled with delight as she gave him a friendly hug. Kratos smiled, and returned the hug.

"I came to visit," he said as she _finally_ let go.

"Really? Come see my house then!" she grabbed his arm and pulled him towards her house, it was all too familiar with Kratos. _Things never change_, he thought as he went inside the small house.

Kratos looked at the house in amazement. Anna had progressed quickly, and the house was small, but it was very well made, and it gave Kratos a warm feeling.

"So, how is your quest to find that whatchamacallit ring?" Anna asked as she led him to a couch, and Kratos sat down.

"First of all, it's a _pact _ring, and I figured out how to make it," he replied with a smile. He was in Triet, and about to head for the Tower of Salvation, and then decided to make a detour to visit Anna.

"That's wonderful! I won't be surprised if the world turns to one on a random day," she said. Kratos smirked, and pushed his fingers through his auburn hair.

"I can only stay for a day, though," he sighed. Anna was not discouraged by this, though. She nodded, and then went to her stove.

"I'm going to cook us something special, Kratos" she exclaimed as she grabbed various ingredients from a box. "Why don't you help, Kratos? I need a hand!" she said as she turned on the stove. Kratos got up and helped her get some ingredients.

"You sure are the same Anna that loves fish," he muttered when he saw half of the cooking materials were some sort of fish. Anna beamed, and then went to work on gutting the fish.

With her years of practice, Anna was able to get the best parts of meat from the fishes, although Kratos was having a little trouble. He sometimes cut bone in with the meat when he sliced too far, and Anna only laughed at his work.

"No, silly. Hold the knife like that," she said as she rearranged his fingers until they were on the side of the knife, and able to skin quickly.

"Thanks," he muttered as he cut the fish with new easiness. It was much simpler to cut the fish the way Anna had shown, and he finished much quicker thanks to Anna.

"Alright, let's add some spices!" she said to herself as she poured some pepper, and other ingredients that made Noishe's nose twitch.

"Whine!" he moaned as he tried to get the peeper from out of his nose.

"Noishe, stay away from the spices," he ordered, and the protozoan padded away and onto a couch.

"Poor Noishe," she giggled as she watched Noishe's pained expression.

"He's fine, he just wants the food," he replied in an irritated voice. Noishe's ears perked at the word food, and then noticed that the two hadn't finished making dinner yet, and laid his head back down on the couch.

"Time for some cheese and tomatoes-," she began, and then burst out laughing when she saw Kratos' face when she said tomato.

"No, tomatoes, then" she stifled a laugh, and Kratos relaxed a bit. "Kratos, cut the cheese," she said as she threw him a large round and yellow ball of cheese. Kratos grabbed the cutting knife, and cut the dairy product with his inhuman strength and speed within seconds.

"Hey, Kratos are you-," she widened her eyes at the cut up cheese.

"I guess you are," she replied to herself, and poured some of the cheese over the fish. Kratos smiled and shook his head, and Anna grinned as well.

"You are really fast," she said to him, and Kratos made a scowl.

"I've had experience as a swordsman, and refined my skills for 4,000 years, I should be that fast, if not, faster," he replied calmly.

"Oh," she said for the second time this day. Kratos strode next to Noishe and scratched his ears.

"Noishe, let's go for a walk while Anna cooks," he said softly as Noishe jumped off the couch and wagged his thick tail. "We'll be back, Anna."

Anna finished making the food as soon as should could, and then looked for Kratos. She spotted him on the beach with Noishe sitting next to him. She was about to approach, but then he suddenly started talking to Noishe.

"She's pretty happy, huh Noishe," he said, and Noishe whined in response. "I'm happy she's finally settled in. "I missed her a lot, right Noishe?" he asked in a slight playful tone, and the protozoan licked Kratos' cheek.

"She wouldn't think that…," he stopped as he looked down. "She makes me feel again, Noishe. I experienced all my feelings when I was with her for those couple of weeks. I laughed, Noishe, laughed…and even cried," he said, sadness hinting in his deep voice. "I loved those feelings, but they all left when I left Anna. I just want to be with her. She makes me…happy, Noishe. Happy! When have I been happy?" he asked, furious at something, and he pounded the ground. Noishe whined, and then Kratos' glare softened.

"I'm sorry, Noishe. Let's go back to Anna's house," he moaned as he slowly got up. Anna ran back to her house, and pretended to be cooking when Kratos walked in a few minutes later!

"I was wondering where you were," Anna said in a mock tone. Kratos tried to smile, but failed miserably. "Food's ready!" she exclaimed in a cheerful voice as she filled three bowls with seafood delicacies.

Anna chatted with Kratos, and he started acting normal, even though he was saddened. Anna couldn't believe he couldn't feel.

"When are you leaving tomorrow?" she asked casually as she shoved a forkful of food in her mouth.

"Probably at noon, and I might not come back until years later," he replied in an especially agonized voice, even for Kratos.

"Are you alright?" she asked, pretending not to know what he just said when he didn't know she was listening.

"Anna, I-," he began. "Will you come with me? I want you to come," he stated, his cheeks reddening in only the slightest. Anna squealed with delight.

"Sure! I'm bored enough here anyways!"

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Mr.Who2123: Yes! I tried to make it longer, but it isn't that much longer. I guess that doesn't count as an apology.

Kratos: No one really cares, Mr.Who…

Yggdrasil: Wretched Human! (Yeah, you wretched human!)

Mr.Who2123: Hey! Kratos is a wretched human and you don't say things like that to him.

Kratos: cough (blackmail) cough

Mr.Who2123: I see…

Yggdrasil: Wretched Human! (Review you wretched human!)


	13. Star Gazing

Mr.Who2123: Hello! Welcome to my chapter 13!

Kratos: We know it's chapter 13, idiot…

Mr.Who2123: Yeah, well, we know some people are slower than others, and I just wanted to clarify it to those other people.

Kratos: You mean like you're slow?

Mr.Who2123: Yeah…Hey!

Kratos: Disclaimers…

Mr.Who2123: Oh yeah! Let's ask Yuan!

Yuan: Hey

Mr.Who2123: You're weapon is bigger than Kratos!

Kratos & Yuan: …

Mr.Who2123: Can I see it?

Yuan: Sure…

(pulls out his double bladed awesome sword thing)

Mr.Who2123: Mwahahaha!

(steals the weapon)

Yuan: Hey!

Mr.Who2123: Kill!

Kratos: …

Mr.Who2123: I like chop-chop!

Yuan & Kratos: (sweat drop)

(Mr.Who2123 slices at a bunch of tomatoes, and then gives the weapon to Kratos, who falls over from all the tomatoes on it)

Yuan: Give it back!

Mr.Who2123: Disclaimers!

Yuan: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd be the general of the German army, too…what the heck?

(Mr.Who2123 gives back the weapon)

Kratos: we're starting…

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Kratos stared at Anna in bewilderment.

"I thought you'd say no," he said, regaining his composition, and continued to eat, only this time, he was in higher spirits.

"Do you have any boyfriends?" Kratos asked casually, and Anna shook her head.

"No, it's kind of boring here. It's so small," she answered, and her gaze turned to the window that shows the beach.

Soon, the two were finished, and Kratos grabbed the plates, and put them in the kitchen.

"Hey, Kratos!" Anna exclaimed brightly, opening the front door. Kratos cocked his head, and listened. "Let's see the stars!", and Anna had Kratos' arm again. She brought him to the beach, and laid down a blanket she had brought.

"So you want to watch the stars?" he asked her, looking up at the diamonds of the sky.

"They're so pretty!" she exclaimed as she brought him down with her on the blanket. The two sat in silence, and looked up at the night sky. Anna brought her head onto Kratos' shoulder, and latched onto his arm, her gaze still on the stars. Kratos didn't even care, he enjoyed her presence.

"Look, there's the constellation of the giant tree," Kratos remarked as he pointed to various stars. "There's the Summon Spirit Origin." Once again, Kratos pointed to a group of stars. Anna squinted at the stars, and then frowned.

"All I see are a bunch of stars. That doesn't look like a tree," she scowled, still trying to figure out the constellations.

"You need to look harder, past the thought of stars. Think of them as anything but stars and your imagination will open up," Kratos replied calmly. Anna looked at Kratos, and he was staring back, their eyes met for a long moment. Quickly, the two turned away, their red faces obscured by the dark.

Anna looked back at the stars, and did what Kratos had told her. _Anything but stars…hmm, _and she squinted at the tree constellation. Suddenly, she could see the long trunk, and the scattered stars on the top were not stars at all, but thousands of branches. A bunch of simple lights had turned into the sight of a beautiful and grand tree. Anna snuggled next to Kratos, and then looked at Origin.

It was hard for her to imagine Origin, since she had no idea, and guessed it was a four armed person with some sort of wings and weapons.

"Hey, Kratos! I can see them!" she whispered, drawing her self closer without noticing Kratos' crimson face.

"Anna, you're-,"

"Look, it's Origin!" she interrupted, pointing at the stars.

"Anna, you're snuggling with me," Kratos said quickly, his already red face a hue darker. Anna flushed, and then scooted away. A long silence followed, and Anna looked back at Kratos. He had a smile on his face, and was watching the stars with newfound eagerness.

"Kratos?" she whispered in a timid voice.

"Hm?" was Kratos replied as he looked back at Anna.

"I'm sorry that…I-," she began.

"Apology accepted. It's fine, Anna," he smiled, and continued his gazing. Anna did the same, and soon found herself lost in the stars once again. The stars seemed to twist in her liking as she made out shapes and figures with the small twinkling lights.

"That one looks like your head!" she giggled, when her finger met a scattered bunch of stars.

"My hair is not that bad," he muttered, frowning at his so called hair.

"Yes it is. When was the last time you looked in a mirror?" she replied, her hands on her hips.

"Four thousand years ago," he moaned in almost an inaudible noise.

"See! It is that bad. It sticks out everywhere," she remarked, poking one of the spikes.

"Anna, don't do that," Kratos sighed, and Anna stilled.

"Why is it so soft when you don't even brush it?" she asked curiously, feeling a strand.

"Anna, stop," he said in an annoyed voice.

"Sorry, Mr. Touchy," she mocked. Kratos shook his head, and then got up.

"It's late, we should get to bed, Anna," he said as he gathered the blanket. Anna stretched, and then stood up, trying to keep her eyes open.

"I guess I aaa…aaaaaaaaamm," she yawned. Kratos smirked, and continued to Anna's house.

Anna fell on her bed and fell asleep, not even saying goodnight to Kratos. Kratos threw the blanket over Anna, and sat next to Noishe who was asleep as well. Kratos scratched the protzoan's ears, and leaned back against the seat.

"Anna, wake up. Humph, this gives memories. Anna, get up!" Kratos urged, times of him waking Anna flooded back into his mind.

"Hey, Kratos," Anna mumbled, and got up.

"Humph, get ready, we're leaving," Kratos said in his usual monotone, and then walked out the door. Anna stuffed all her necessities, and ran outside to a waiting Kratos.

"Where to?" Anna asked when they left Izoold. Anna was eager to travel, and wanted to see many more places.

"We're traveling to the Tower of Salvation, the only way to get to Tethe'alla," Kratos replied, not surprised at Anna's shocked look.

"It's not even here! How do we even get in?" she demanded, looking around.

"Trust me," Kratos replied, his composure intact, unlike Anna.

"Okay, then. How long is it, then?" she asked.

"Not even a day. The Tower is just over those mountains," Kratos pointed to the west of the Haknosia Peak. There was a circle of clearing barely visible between the mountains. There was a thin sea stretched before the mountains, and seemed impassible.

"How the heck are we going to get there?" Anna demanded again, as they reached a small beach. Kratos rolled his eyes, she knew what he'd do, and still pretended she didn't know.

"We fly," Kratos replied as he picked up Anna, who yelled in return.

"What are you doing you-," Anna stared right at the blue wings attached to Kratos' back.

"Hold on," Kratos muttered as he lifted up from the ground. Anna screamed again, and clutched onto Kratos' clothes for what seemed dear life. Suddenly, a gust of air brushed her face as she headed towards the clearing. Anna lessened her grip on Kratos' who was having a hard time with nails clinging to him.

"We're over the sea!" Anna exclaimed as she looked below her. Anna leaned over, but threw the two off balance, and headed downwards. Kratos' quick thinking caught them right above the water.

"Oops," Anna muttered to herself as she felt the air breeze by again.

In no less than an hour, Kratos had carried Anna to a small clearing that was completely surrounded by mountain and forest. It seemed impossible to reach the small area around.

"So, where is the tower?" Anna asked as she jumped out of Kratos' arms.

"Right in front of you," Kratos walked into the middle of the clearing, and picked up a small device. He pushed a button, and a small door appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. There was no tower, however, and Anna was confused.

"Where is the _tower,_ Kratos?" Anna asked again, in an irritated tone.

"I'm not showing the tower, and this is just a special door we of Cruxis use. Now, let's hurry before someone checks the door," Kratos said, and pushed her slightly against the door. Anna ran through the door, followed by Kratos, who was urging her to hurry the whole way. The door led to a room, it was very dull, and had too many books, and no beds.

"Where is this?" Anna asked, and noticed a purple light from the outside.

"This is Derris Kharlan," Kratos replied grimly, and Anna gasped.

"How? We're light-years away from Sylverant!" Anna exclaimed.

"No, Derris Kharlan is just above the worlds, but no one can see it," Kratos said as he began to lead Anna out of the room.

"That's impossible!" Anna yelled in shock, and followed Kratos.

"Mithos can make the impossible possible," a voice explained behind them. Kratos grabbed Anna, and pushed her behind him. Yuan was standing right in front of Kratos, an amused grin on his face.

"Who's our guest, Kratos?" Yuan mocked, glancing at Anna.

"Yuan, leave us alone," Kratos growled.

"Hey, I'm on your side, Kratos, but who is that?" Yuan asked again.

"She's the research for the Angelus Project," Kratos sighed. Yuan widened his azure eyes.

"Kratos, you've gotten yourself into a lot of trouble!" Yuan exclaimed, shaking his head.

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Mr.Who2123: Yay! An appearance by Yuan!

Kratos & Yuan: whoop-dee-doo…

Mr.Who2123: I know! I still want to write more, though…

Kratos: Then write more, you idiot…

Mr.Who2123: Don't feel like it…

Kratos & Yuan: (sweat drop)

Mr.Who2123: Look! It's Yuan's weapon thingy!

(Mr.Who2123 grabs Yuan's weapon, and twirls it around, accidentally cutting off Yuan's ponytail)

Yuan: You idiot!

(Yuan chases a laughing Mr.Who2123)

Kratos: Please review so I don't have to watch this stupid fight…

Yuan: Give it back!

Mr.Who2123: row row row your boat gently down the stream! Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.

Kratos: …


	14. Escaping Cruxis

Mr.Who2123: Row, row, row your boat, gently down the…Hi, my adoring fans and reviewers!

Kratos: Idiot…

Mr.Who2123: Whatever, let's do the disclaimers, shall we?

Kratos: Sure…

Mr.Who2123: Hm…how about Dirk!

Dirk: Hey, lads!

Mr.Who2123: Hey, Dirk. How many Dwarven Vows are there?

Dirk: 5,246!

Kratos & Mr.Who2123: …

Mr.Who2123: Say number 5,245!

Dirk: When Chuck Norris comes to your door, make sure you give him some hamburgers!

Kratos & Mr.Who2123: …

Mr.Who2123: Disclaimers!

Dirk: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd make everyone play it ten times through!

Mr.Who2123: Yup! Let the chapter begin!

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"What am I going to do with you, Kratos?" Yuan asked in sheer annoyance.

"Yuan, I swear if you say anything to Mithos, I-,"

"Kratos is probably still in Sylverant, right?" Yuan replied, raising an eyebrow, his thin lips forming a smile.

"Thanks, Yuan," Kratos muttered, and grabbed Anna's hand.

"C'mon, let's go!" he exclaimed, running through various hallways.

"Kratos, who was that?" Anna asked, while keeping a steady pace next to Kratos.

"An old friend. He's my age," Kratos replied as he ran down a series of twisting stairs. Anna looked around Derris-Kharlan as she ran. Many times, she saw angels standing there, their eyes with a dead gleam, and unchanging.

"What is with the angels?" Anna piped up again.

"We've got no time, Anna!" Kratos exclaimed. "Mithos probably knows I'm here, and with you!" Anna held her tongue, and followed the mercenary down the last set of stairs.

-.-.-

Yuan held his gaze where Kratos was just moments before.

"Yuan! I've been looking for you!" a voice called behind. Yggdrasil was making his way towards Yuan, but he didn't seem happy in the slightest.

"Oh, Yggdrasil, how are-,"

"Where are they?" Yggdrasil demanded, his dark eyes flaring.

"Where's what?" Yuan asked, but his fake innocence was not good enough for his former companion.

"Tell me, now!" Yggdrasil demanded, grabbing the collar of Yuan's shirt. He lifted Yuan a couple inches off the floor, and the two had their noses touching.

"I don't know what -," Yuan tried to say, but Yggdrasil just lifted his hand and a ball of light emitted from it. Yggdrasil thrust his hand deep into Yuan's stomach, and then dropped his companion. He fell to the floor, breathing heavily to the surprising blow.

"Tell Me Yuan! Where's Kratos! I know he has my research for the Angelus Project as well!" Yggdrasil flared his anger unrestrained. Yuan looked up at his leader, pity in his eyes.

"I don't know, Yggdrasil!" Yuan yelled back, his lies finally passing through Yggdrasil's thick head.

"Alright, but I still don't believe it, you traitor!" and Yggdrasil headed down to the main hall. Yuan watched after his leader, still panting from the extreme pain of the blow.

"You owe me big time," he whispered, and left to his room.

-.-.-

Kratos stopped in a large chamber that was filled with angels.

"Wait here," Kratos ordered, and walked next to a teleporter. Anna watched as Kratos punched in a few numbers, and the portal started to glow. "Let's -,"

"Kratos! You traitor!" a furious voice filled the room. Anna ran and hid behind Kratos who pulled out his flamberge. Yggdrasil was storming up to Kratos, his face red with pure anger.

"Kratos! You are staying in Derris-Kharlan!" he screamed at his minion, but Kratos stared at Yggdrasil with as much indignation.

"Anna, leave, and wait for me. I'll come, I promise," he whispered to the terrified woman. Anna shook her head, and gripped Kratos' shoulders.

"Anna, leave!" he shouted at her, and she finally left his side and to the portal.

"No, you don't!" Yggdrasil yelled, and had his mana charged, and pointed at Anna. Anna disappeared right after the ball exploded out of Yggdrasil's hand, and Anna was safe.

"Kratos, you idiot!" Yggdrasil punched Kratos in the stomach, and he fell to one knee. Yggdrasil regained his composure for a minute, and sneered at his former comrade. "Fine, you just won't leave," he said calmly in a voice that gave Kratos the chills. Yggdrasil pointed his hand at the computer for the teleporter.

"No!" Kratos yelled, and stood in between the target, and his leader. Yggdrasil was stunned by the move Kratos made, and his mana receded into his body again.

"Why would you want to go back to Tethe'alla so badly?" he asked, his voice menacing. "For the girl?" Kratos glared at Yggdrasil and didn't answer. Yggdrasil chuckled, and then pointed at the teleporter again.

"Say goodbye to Symphonia, Kratos," he said calmly, and let a blast of mana out.

"Thunder Barrier!" Yuan yelled as he spun his double bladed weapon and deflected the blast. Yuan looked back at Kratos and smiled.

"You owe me, Kratos. Now, go!" he yelled as he charged at Yggdrasil.

"Thanks," Kratos answered, and ran through the portal.

Anna was waiting for Kratos, her fear growing. _Did that Yggdrasil kill Kratos?_ She thought madly as she tapped her foot in impatience. A noise came from the portal, and Kratos came through.

"Kratos, you're safe!" Anna exclaimed as she ran up to her friend. "What happened?"

"Yuan helped me out. Now, let's go, Anna. Yggdrasil will be on our tail wherever we go," he replied, staring at the sky of Tethe'alla.

"Alright. I'm excited for Tethe'alla! I wonder what it's like!" she said happily as she pulled Kratos' arm…for the millionth time. Kratos sighed, and let Anna lead to Meltokio while Kratos gave the direction.

"We're in the Darkness Temple right now, so Meltokio would be north-east," he explained, pointing towards a large plain.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed, and did one of her twirls.

"Have you ever thought of dancing lessons?" Kratos asked mockingly. Anna rolled her eyes, and began to make their way for Meltokio.

As the two made their way for the Imperial City, the companions ran into some unwanted people. A knight with a rogue and mage came up to Kratos and Anna.

"Why, hello, travelers!" the mage sneered, her red eyes glinting with greed. "Happen to have some gald?" the knight asked, pulling out his sword. The three began to circle Kratos and Anna, and laughed when Kratos pulled out his blade.

"So the man thinks he can protect the forsaken woman?" the rogue mocked. Anna grew annoyed at the thieves, and put her hands on her waist, and glared at the mage.

"You don't know what you're up against, so beat it before you die!" she yelled at them, but the group laughed even more.

"Just give us your gald, and we won't hurt you," the knight said, his irritation growing.

"Leave and you won't die," Kratos finally spoke up, holding his flamberge, threatening the bandits.

"Screw these two! Let's kill them!" the rogue yelled, and held up his knife. The mage began to cast a spell, and Kratos was to deal with her first.

"Okay, lightning!" she yelled.

"Guardian!" Kratos deflected the thunder move, and then made a spell of his own.

"Eruption!" a pit of fire appeared underneath the sorceress. Fire burst out of the pit, and engulfed the woman in lava. Anna watched in horror as the mage was burnt to a crisp.

"You'll pay!" the knight yelled, and charged at Anna, while Kratos held off the rogue. Kratos noticed the enemies, and grabbed Anna.   
He held his shield and sword to both sides of him as they deflected both attacks.

"Anna, stay out of the way!" he yelled as he pushed the bandits back. Anna complied, and backed away from the fight.

Kratos ducked from a sword, and then jumped away from the oncoming knife, dropping his flamberge.

"You can't win, mercenary!" the knight yelled, and lunged yet again. Kratos just noticed the sword as he deflected the rogue's knife, and his mind raced as of what to do.

The sword came down, and Kratos had one option. He lifted his hand, and the blade cut deep into his palm. The knight widened his eyes under his helmet.

"Sacred powers, cast your purifying lights upon these corrupt souls. Rest in peace, sinners! JUDGMENT!" he shouted, and his mana drained as the skies darkened, and rays shot out of the sky, and struck down the bandits, and killed them. Kratos panted, and fell to one knee, and clutched his bloody hand.

"Kratos, are you okay?" Anna demanded madly, as she knelt next to him. She was about to touch it, when he slapped her hand away.

"Let me see it, Kratos," she asked softly, and he gave his wounded hand to her. She inspected the cut, and then grabbed some water in a canteen.

"This is salt water, and will sting," she explained as she poured the water, and covered the bloody wound. Kratos yelled in pain as the liquid stung the deep wound, magnifying the hurt. Anna then grabbed a rag, and wrapped it around Kratos' cut, and sighed.

"You should be more careful, Kratos," she muttered, and stood up. Kratos grunted, and stood up as well. He strode over to the bush where his sword fell, and picked up the weapon.

"Let's go, Anna," he said, and they continued their path to Meltokio.

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Mr.Who2123: Yay! A cliffhanger!

Kratos: Who really cares?

Mr.Who2123: I do! I do!

Kratos: …

Dirk: Dwarven Vow number 4,681: Always show enthusiasm to make sure no one hate you!

Mr.Who2123: That doesn't make sense…

Kratos: Dwarves are known for pointlessness

Mr.Who2123: Really? So that's why Lloyd is pointless!

Kratos: Precisely

Mr.Who2123: Dwarven Vow number 1,311: Review so you can have some Dwarven Stew!

Kratos: …


	15. Never Underestimate

Mr.Who2123: Hello! I'm not high today, so I'm going straight to disclaimers…

Kratos: Good

Mr.Who2123: Hey! Just to make you mad, I'm going to drink 2 pints of coffee, and a quart of sugar!

Kratos: Since you'll die, I'd like to watch.

Mr.Whp2123: (evil glare, and then drinks all the coffee, and eats all of the sugar. Then, Mr.Who2123 begins to twitch, and then jumps around everywhere, showing she's super high)

Mr.Who2123: Let'sdoDisclaimers! Let'sdoDisclaimers! Let's ssummonmycheese!

Kratos: …

(Cheese poofs in)

Kratos: Cheese is an inanimate object, idiot…

Mr.Who2123: Notanymore! (Mr.Who2123 eats the cheese, and notices she ate the disclaimer person) Mycheese! Mycheese! Mr.Who2123doesnotownTalesofSymphonia, butifIdid, cheesewouldruletheworld!

Kratos: Cheese is an inanimate object!

Mr.Who2123: Beginbegin!

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Kratos and Anna were finally at the gates of Meltokio, and Anna had widened her eyes to a whole new extent. Kratos folded his arms and watched as her companion looked at every single detail of the gate, and the outside area. While in the midst of her inspection of what the gate is made out of, Kratos was finished waiting.

"Anna, we're not even inside, and you are acting like a maniac. Let's go inside," Kratos said, and Anna looked back at him with a gleam in her eye.

"Yeah! I wonder what it is like inside!" she exclaimed, and opened the large gate, only to be stopped by to guards covered in green armor.

"What's your business, woman?" one asked, his covered head turned to Anna. Kratos walked next to Anna, and folded his arms.

"Why do you have to ask business? I came here before, and you wouldn't do this," he said calmly, feeling for the hilt of his sword.

"Tough guy, aren't you? You look like you're from Mizuho. Why should we let you traitors in anyways?" the other replied, gripping his spear menacingly.

"We have come here just to stay for the night, and you have no right to stop us!" Anna exclaimed. "We are not from Mizuho, we're from-," Kratos placed a hand over her mouth, and she stopped.

"Are you looking for a fight, woman?" the knight inquired, taking a step towards her. Kratos immediately knew the danger, and stepped in between the two, holding his flamberge in his hand.

"We're from Sybak, and we have come to stay the night. Please let us through," he ordered calmly, the knights gently ticking the patience off him.

"Fine, whatever," the knight groaned, and lifted their spears. As soon as the two guards were out of earshot, Anna bombarded Kratos with questions.

"Where's Mizuho? Why did they say we're traitors? Did Mizuho do something bad? Where's Sybak anyways? Are you really from it?" she asked, bobbing up and down as she spoke. Kratos sighed and rolled his eyes at the same time.

"It's enough having those knights tick you off, but being ambushed by questions is worse," he muttered under his breath, and then answered Anna. "Mizuho is a village of ninja traitors, and it's on the other continent. Sybak is also from the other continent, and no I'm not from Sybak," Anna, being satisfied with her answers, looked around at Meltokio. She gasped at all the nicely dressed nobles, and all the shops and houses.

"It's HUGE!" she yelled, doing her trademark "twirl." A few of the passer-bys stopped to stare at Anna's little act, and then would continue to do what they were doing. Kratos shook his head, and led her to the inn. Just as Anna said before, it was huge as well. Kratos ordered a room with two beds, and Anna practically raced up the stairs to see the bedroom. Two large beds with red thick sheets were on each side, and a huge wardrobe. There was a large balcony and a table for anything.

"It's so pretty," she said, and opened the balcony door. She let the wind brush by her and shift her hair for a minute before returning to Kratos.

"I'm going to the church. They might have some sacred wood," he explained as he turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, you're not impressed?" she asked, pointing to the beautiful room.

"Anna, I've seen a lot in four thousand years, and I don't get impressed easily," he relied, and then turned to leave.

"Humph! Don't get impressed, huh?" she murmured, and then set her mind on a plan…

"I might have some wood, sir, but why do you need it?" a priest inquired Kratos an hour and a half later.

"I have my reasons. I just need enough to light a fire for about two hours," Kratos replied calmly, and lifted his hands to indicate the size. The priest nodded, and then turned to the room on the side.

"I'll look, sir," the priest said, and left the door.

A few minutes later, the priest came back with empty hands, and a sullen expression.

"We're fresh out, sir," the priest apologized, and then Kratos made his way out of the church. _What a waste of time_, he thought. It took him an hour just to be able to talk with a priest, and he didn't have any sacred wood.

"I hope Anna is in better spirits," he muttered, and returned to the inn.

Anna decided to play a little trick on Kratos. Sure it was brutal, but it would be worth it to watch Kratos in agony and in embarrassment. Anna had done an original trick with the bucket on top of the door. She had asked the manager for a spare, metal bucket, and filled it with burning hot water.

Kratos charged up to his room. He was annoyed he had to stay in Meltokio and now he

was angry at the stupid priest who didn't have sacred wood. He turned to his inn room,

and noticed the door was ajar, and not latched closed. Too agitated to care, he thrust the door open, hoping to have Anna cheer him up.

Kratos heard a creak, and looked up to see a metal blur fall on his head. BANG! The metal clanged on his head, and hot water poured down his face. Kratos seethed not from the water, but from the pure anger that roused in him.  
He thrust the bucket off to show a crimson face and not from the water either.

Anna came out of her hiding place, and began to laugh, tears coming down her face.

"Hahaha! You ahahahahahahaha! Fell Hahahahaha for IT! Hahahahaha!" she yelled as she fell on the floor, her laughing unrestrained and relentless. Kratos twitched with rage, and stormed over to the woman.

"What, may I ask was THIS DOING ON THE TOP OF THE DOOR?" he screamed at the laughing woman, and she died down her laughter.

"C'mon! It was just a joke!" she said, laughing a little from her comment.

"humph," Kratos had expected a warm welcome, but not this kind of warm!

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Mr.Who2123: Yipee! Another chappie by me! (That rhymes!)

Kratos: Idiot…

Voice Mail: We are sorry, but Mr.Who2123 is not here at the moment. She is feeding her chinchillas.

Kratos: She's gone? Yes! (tries to leave, but the fence is still around him) Crap!

Mr.Who2123: Hey, guys! Sorry, I wasn't here for 2.5 seconds!

Kratos: (mutters something about idiots)

Mr.Who2123: Anyways, I'm done with my high, thanks to Kratos who stared at me through the whole story

Kratos: That doesn't make sense!

Mr.Who2123: Your point?

Kratos: I'll kill you one day…

Mr.Who2123: Review!


	16. Emotions Revealed

Mr.Who2123: Hello! I just had a whole cup of sunflower seeds, and all I can taste is salt…

Kratos: Why am I here? (Notices a fence around him and he can't fly over it) oh…that's why

Mr.Who2123: Anyways, we should start the Disclaimers; this is when the Kranna kind of starts…a little.

Kratos: Oh, wonderful (sarcasm)

Mr.Who2123: Anyways, let's do…Anna! She is underappreciated and underestimated…especially after the bucket joke!

Anna: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, because if she did… (Notices Kratos) Look, my husband! (Let's Kratos out, and the two run away…)

Mr.Who2123: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! He's GONE! (Starts Sobbing)

The crazy ladybug from my other fan fiction: Let's begin!

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Emotions Revealed

Kratos was packing the bags, and not in a good mood. He just finished drying off from the bucket of hot water that Anna poured on him.

"Kratos," Anna tried to say. Kratos whirled on her, his face still red from the hot water and his anger. His face was in deep rage, although it was barely visible with Kratos' usual emotionless face. "I'm sorry I did that," she muttered, looking to the side with her hands behind her back. Kratos stopped in mid-breath and softened his face in the slightest.

"I apologize as well, Anna," he replied softly and returned to his task at hand. Anna made a small smile and ran to pick up the bucket. She gazed at it for a moment before picking it up and running it to the Hunter the inn keeper.

Kratos finished packing by the time Anna was back, and he was sitting stiffly on the bed.

"Let's go, Kratos!" she exclaimed at the doorway. Kratos nodded, and shouldered the bag. Once outside of the inn, Anna inhaled deeply and watched the setting sun.

"Why didn't we stay at the inn?" Anna asked, noticing they just left an inn when it was getting dark.

"We need to travel at night; we'll be safer that way. Mithos will be after me no matter what," Kratos answered, passing the large gate. One of the guards who were in the argument before gave the two a dirty look before falling back asleep. Kratos gave a death glare back, and left Meltokio with a tired Anna behind.

"Where are we going?" Anna asked while rubbing her green eyes. Kratos looked at her for a mere second and pointed to a tall structure far in front of them. "Is that a bridge?" Anna asked, squinting her eyes at the greenish bridge.

"Yes, the largest bridge in the world. After that, we head into the Gaorrachia Forest, and then to Ozette, where they have sacred wood," Kratos replied, breathing in from such a long answer. Anna half nodded, half yawned as she stretched her arms.

Anna blinked and nodded from extreme sleepiness. They had been traveling the entire night and she could fall on Kratos hat second.

"Are you alright, Anna?" Kratos asked; it sounded faint and far away.

"Mmm…tired," she mumbled and yawned.

"…We'll make camp, then. You're too tired to walk anymore," he said and immediately set the pack down. He threw a blanket on the already asleep Anna, and sat down on his own.

"Whine!" Noishe whined from behind. Kratos turned around and looked at Noishe.

"How'd you get in Tethe'alla, Noishe?" Kratos asked as the protozoan curled up ext to Kratos. Kratos smiled and scratched his ears.

"Whine! Bark!" Noishe barked, and licked Kratos.

"I don't understand you, Noishe," Kratos smiled, stroking Noishe's neck. "But I'll make an assumption. You snuck into Derris-Kharlan and followed us?" he asked Noishe, getting the no answer he expected.

Noishe just stared at him and licked Kratos' cheek again. Kratos chuckled and laid back against the protozoan.

"She has stuck by me for awhile, huh?" he remarked, looking at Anna. "I'm starting to feel again. I actually got mad at her when she poured a bucket of hot water on me. Before I would have not even cared…or have felt the hot water," he chuckled.

"Whine!" Kratos closed his eyes. Maybe he could sleep now. Slowly, his mind drifted into the land of dreams he hasn't visited in four thousand years.

"Kratos! Man, usually you're the one who wakes me! Kratos, wake up! It's noon!" Anna shouted at her companion. Kratos woke with a start and moved his face into Anna's knocking her back, and giving them a headache.

"Oww," she moaned and got up. Kratos was rubbing his own head when Anna sat down next to him. "Shouldn't we get going?" Anna asked, looking at the clouds overhead. The clouds had thickened, and there had been more recently, due to the upcoming winter.

"I guess," Kratos muttered back and stood up. He packed the items, and soon the two were on the move again, this time with their addition of Noishe.

"How'd Noishe come?" Anna asked, and looked back at the dog like creature.

"I think he snuck through the portal. That reminds me…how is Yuan?" he thought out loud.

-.-.-.-

Yuan was locked in his room in Derris-Kharlan, and with many cuts and bruises. Mithos had won the match. _I've never seen him so powerful,_ he thought, looking at one of his new scars. _If he gets the new cruxis crystal, he'd be unstoppable! _Yuan stood up shakily and opened the door silently. Luckily, no angel was out, and Yuan left.

"I should have left with Kratos. He's right, Mithos must be stopped!" he exclaimed and ran to the portal. However, there was an unexpected person standing at the portal: Yggdrasil.

"Why, hello, Yuan! Have you decided to side with me once more?" he asked, his eyes peering into Yuan's with anger although there was a smirk across his face. Yuan glared back and grabbed his double-bladed weapon.

"Yggdrasil, I've realized you are the craziest and the weakest boy I've ever seen. Kratos was smart to leave you!" he yelled and a spell circle appeared under him. "This is all my anger…release thy fury of thunder! Indignation!" he yelled and a large circle of mana appeared under Yggdrasil.

"Yuan, you…!" the thunder struck and knocked out the cruxis leader before he could finish, though. Yuan ran through the portal with no regrets.

"Kratos, I'm coming!" he yelled.

-.-.-.-

Kratos, Anna, and Noishe had finally made it to the grand Tethe'allan Bridge. The large structure and beautiful designs was the world's pride.

"Wow!" Anna exclaimed and ran to the side of the bridge. Noishe whined and joined her while Kratos folded his arms.

"Well, it is amazing, I guess," Kratos remarked and walked next to Anna. Anna sighed in admiration and closed her eyes. She felt the cool breeze caress her skin. Then she felt…an arm around her shoulder? Kratos had put his arm around her and smiled at the ocean. Anna flushed and looked away.

"Kratos?" Anna asked timidly, her voice making her even more nervous. She swore she could feel her ears burning. "Thank you…for everything." Kratos looked at her and nodded. Anna closed her eyes and made her move. She moved her mouth to Kratos' cheek and kissed him..

Kratos opened his eyes wide and turned a shade of pink, unlike Anna's crimson face. Kratos didn't move for a minute, his mouth slightly open and his eyes fixed ahead of him, unable to make contact with the woman who just kissed him.

"Anna…," Kratos said softly, finally looking at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't-," she stuttered, looking away. Noishe whined in confusion. Humans were weird.

"It's fine, Anna," he replied and turned towards the bridge.

"Wow, in all my life, I never thought Kratos would get a kiss!" a voice exclaimed behind them. Kratos whirled on the person and saw Yuan.

"Yuan! What are you-," he began and ran up to his former companion.

"Before I answer, did you just get a kiss?" Yuan asked mockingly, a smirk tugging on his lips.

"I…yes," he answered, turning red. Yuan laughed and Noishe whined in confusion again. Humans were very weird.

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Mr.Who2123: Hahahahaha! Kratos got his first kiss ever! Besides the ones from his mommy!

Kratos: Hey!

Mr.Who2123: Kratos? You're back! (Hugs Kratos)

Kratos: Anna just wanted me to help her pick out clothes for Lloyd…

Mr.Who2123: Oh! So you stay on your own will?

Kratos: (sigh) yes, this story is of me, and if I leave, a million other fan girls will tear me apart…

Mr.Who2123: Yes! Oh, and Review, pretty please? I just want to know people read my fanfics, and I don't get many reviews from people other than Skyhawk… (Thank you, Skyhawk!)


	17. Yuan and His Betrayal

Mr.Who2123: Yippee! I just had two popsicles and I want MORE!

Kratos: Stop stating random moments from your life…

Mr.Who2123: Okay! Disclaimers…I want Lief the Great Lord (LTGL for short) from Guild Wars! He is my brother's character, and if you have a Guild Wars dude, just PM me and you can play with my brother!

Kratos: …just do the Disclaimers…

LTGL: I will destroy you all!

Mr.Who2123 & Kratos: O.O

LTGL: Oh yeah, this isn't Lornar's Pass…Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd eat Ben and Jerry's ice cream everyday! (So good!)

Kratos: That is the stupidest and most random thing I've ever heard…

Mr.Who2123: It's not my fault!

Kratos: You're the one typing this, idiot…

LTGL: I will destroy you all!

Mr.Who2123: Chuck Norris! Kick LTGL's butt!

Chuck Norris kicks LTGL and sends him back to guild Wars

Mr.Who2123: Onwards!

Kratos: I'm surrounded by idiots…

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Yuan could barely contain the laughter. He had never seen Kratos' face so red, or looked embarrassed.

"Yuan, it's not funny," Kratos said, maintaining his demeanor once again. This however, put the icing on the cake. He burst out laughing, sounding so childish when in truth he was older than the war itself. Kratos grunted with annoyance and walked to Anna. "Let's go," he growled and grabbed the items. Yuan saw the two leaving and died down his laughter to catch up with him.

"Wait! I needed to tell you that I left Mithos as well," Yuan said, breathing hard from all the laughter rather than the fact he ran for a day straight, trying to find Kratos. Kratos raised his brow and widened his eyes slightly, but then sighed and returned to his normal face.

"So, you want to come with us?" he asked, folding his arms. Yuan gave a curt nod and folded his arms as well. Kratos mused over his thoughts for a moment. He _could _be a spy. "How do I know you're not a spy?" he asked, taking a menacing step forward.

"Kratos, he saved us! He wouldn't be a spy!" Anna exclaimed, throwing herself into the conversation. Kratos looked at Anna briefly and then back at Yuan.

"Well, are you a spy?" he asked, raising his brow.

"Kratos, I openly opposed Mithos. He wouldn't trust me to be a spy. I escaped to join you. Is that enough?" Yuan replied to his question, taking a couple steps forward. Kratos relaxed, agreeing with Yuan.

"Alright, you can come, but first," he led him to Anna. "You two have not been introduced, am I not correct? Yuan, this Anna the Angelus Project, and Anna this is Yuan, one of my companions from 4,000 years ago." He said, and the two shook hands.

"Nice to meet, you!" she greeted. Yuan made a half smile, and nodded. Satisfied, Kratos shouldered his pack and headed for the bridge with the three trailing behind.

"How long is the bridge?" groaned Anna after a half an hour of walking across the stone steps. Kratos and Yuan were silent for the whole time, but Anna was fed up with monotonous footsteps making the same noise, droning on and on.

"Another ten minutes," Yuan replied. Anna noticed Yuan was a lot more cheery than Kratos even if he was emotionless as well. Anna repeated her thoughts to Yuan who thought for a moment.

"Ever since he was small, he was never too emotional. He never participated in much, I don't know why, he was just…different," Yuan replied, glancing constantly at Kratos.

_Kratos, Yuan, Martel, and Mithos were all camping in the Goarrachia Forest. It was dark, creepy, and filled with spiders to Martel's dismay. She had never like spiders, and screamed whenever she saw a giant spider attack the group._

_Mithos and Yuan decided to play a little trick on Martel and grabbed things from the forest: a giant melon the size of Yuan's torso and a bunch of twigs. Mithos assembled the things to make them look like a deadly spider and it was bigger than the real ones. Mithos grabbed some twine and tied the "spider", letting it down slowly on top of Martel, until…_

_A scream pierced the silent forest, and Kratos looked up from his sword polishing. Martel nearly had a heart attack when she saw the spider tickle her head and then land on her. Mithos and Yuan were cracking up from on top of the tree and Martel heard them. Throwing aside the fake spider, she stormed up to the tree with the two pranksters on it. _

_"Mithos Yggdrasil and Yuan! You…!" Martel began a very ugly lecture and Kratos winced at the words a couple of times. Yuan and Mithos were emotionally scarred for the rest of the night while Kratos just shrugged it off. Why were Yuan and Mithos so childish?_

_The next night, they had gotten lost, and had to camp again. Mithos and Yuan were smart and decided to stay with the group instead of playing another trick. They didn't want to hear anything of what Martel said the night before. Kratos was polishing his shield, while the others were all telling jokes or scary stories._

_"Okay, why did the chicken cross the road?" Mithos asked, his eyes lit with laughter. _(Just to let you know, this is 4,000 years ago! This is when the joke was invented, and was funny! Hahahaha!)_ Martel and Yuan thought for a moment, while Kratos didn't even listen._

_"To get to the other side!" he answered after seeing the shaking of heads. Everyone burst out laughing at the simplicity of the joke, everyone but Kratos. He stared at them in confusion. It's not that funny, he thought, and continued his work._

Yuan smiled at the memory and Anna looked at him with a confused expression.

"What's so funny?" she inquired, a smile coming to her lips. Yuan looked up and then shook his head, his smile growing a little.

"Just a memory," he sighed. Anna looked back to bridge. She could now see the end of it and picked up her pace, passing Kratos.

"What are you doing?" Kratos asked in his low voice, noticing she was feet ahead now.

"Let's hurry up!" she urged and then slowed down next to Kratos.

A loud bell from the bridge stopped Kratos when he was about to speak.

"Off the bridge! Off the bridge! We're lifting the bridge!" the man yelled from the end of the bridge. Kratos started running with Anna at his side and Yuan and Noishe right behind.

"What's going on?" Yuan yelled in the confusion. Kratos looked back at the rising bridge and made an inaudible gasp. A giant mob of Desians had come from Sylverant, and the Tethe'allans, being the flourishing world, thought they were bandits.

"Desians!" Kratos yelled and continued his escape.

"There's the host body!" the Desian leader, Kvar yelled.

"Kvar is here?" Yuan said, glancing at the Grand Cardinal.

"He is?" Kratos and Anna asked at the same moment while getting to the end of the bridge.

The bridge worker saw the companions were safe and across the bridge, and began the crank that lifted the bridge. All the Desians stopped when the bridge rose, and Kvar let out a string of curses.

"I'll get you, host body!" Kvar yelled before retreating. The workman of the bridge ran over to the group to check if they were fine.

"Why were they attacking you?" he asked, staring at the lifted bridge.

"We stole something, and he wants it back," Kratos replied calmly and turned towards the plains ahead of them. The worker nodded and returned to his post while the companions left for Sybak.

-.-.-.-

Kratos, Yuan, and Anna had made it to Sybak and were staying at the inn. Yuan and Anna were having a lighthearted conversation, and even Kratos pitched in reluctantly.

"I know you two like each other," Yuan sneered, an evil grin on his face. Anna gave a death glare, and shook her head.

"No! How many times do I have to tell you? The kiss was like a thank you for helping me the whole time!" she yelled at him, infuriated at Yuan's constant comments. Yuan rolled his eyes.

"Sure, sheesh, you're touchy," he muttered and sat back on the bed.

"Yuan, I'd be angry if I wasn't this old and emotionless," Kratos added, raising a brow.

"Whatever, let's just sleep," Yuan yawned and lay down on his bed. Anna did the same and crawled underneath the sheets. Somehow, she knew Yuan was right. She _did_ like him…

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Mr.Who2123: Mwahahahahahaha! She likes him! She likes him! (Runs around in circles)

Kratos: (sweat drop) Calm down…

LTGL: I will destroy you!

Kratos: I'll take care of you (Pulls out Flamberge)

(Kratos is Level 100QW8990J and LTGL is Level 15…Hm)

(Kratos does some awesome moves and kills LTGL. Poor Lief, we barely got to know him)

Mr.Who2123: SWEET! (Takes out popcorn and begins eating it)

Kratos: Humph, he wasn't even a challenge…

Mr.Who2123: Oh, and Review please!


	18. It's True Pain

Mr.Who2123: After the gasps of my last chappie of "she _did_ like him" we go to Sybak! Wahoo! Wait, we're in Sybak! Doi!

Kratos: Shut up and do the Disclaimers…

Mr.Who2123: Oh, that reminds me, I have like no more ideas for funny Disclaimers, so they're not going to be as good. What can I say? I ran out of juice…

Kratos: Disclaimers…

Mr.Who2123: Fine, I choose Kvar

Kvar: Inferior Being

Kratos: I will kill you! (Lunges for Kvar, but Mr.Who2123 stops them)

Mr.Who2123: Not until after the Disclaimers and I have a couple questions for Kvar… (Evil glare on Kvar)

Kvar: (Gulp)

Mr.Who2123: Why do you look Asian? Why do you always say inferior being? Do the Disclaimers! (Before he opens his mouth…) Hurry up! I haven't got all day!

Kvar: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but if she did, she'd introduce Diet Coke to the characters!

Mr.Who2123: Took you long enough!

Kratos: Now can I kill him?

Mr.Who2123: Sure!

(Kratos kills Kvar, and then Kratos is happy)

Mr.Who2123: Let it begin!

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"Anna, wake up!" Yuan said, shaking the sleeping woman. He had been at it for awhile, and Kratos smirked. "How do you wake her up?" Yuan asked in an annoyed tone.

"Watch," he replied, and threw off the sheets revealing her in a dismantled position, drool coming down her mouth.

"Gross," Yuan said, and turned away as Kratos bent down and yelled as loud as he could.

"Anna, there's a buffet!" he exclaimed, then stepped back as she got up abruptly and looked around.

"Where's the buffet?" she asked, getting out of the bed. Yuan smiled, and Kratos folded his arms.

"We said that just to wake you up," Kratos muttered and grabbed the bag. Anna frowned in response, and jumped out of her bed.

"Get out, I'm getting dressed," she said and the two boys left with no argument.

Kratos and Yuan were waiting by the door in silence. Yuan looked at Kratos, then to the room, and then back at Kratos.

"Do you like her?" he asked, folding his arms. Kratos cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

"If you mean Anna, then no. Why did you ask, Yuan?" Kratos inquired his suspicions arousing.

"Anna does like you, and I wanted to know if you like her back," he said, grinning. "How could she fall in love with some-," he stopped as Kratos threw the bag at Yuan and left downstairs. He watched the seraphim leave the inn and then shrugged.

"I'm ready!" Anna exclaimed, opening the door. Yuan nodded and headed downstairs while Anna followed.

"So where is Kratos?" she asked when they reached the open air. Yuan shook his head and pointed to Kratos who was leaning against a wall.

"Hey, Kratos!" Anna said, approaching him.

"Hey, Anna," he replied and headed out of the town. Noishe had joined the three and growled at Yuan.

"Noishe, it's Yuan, remember?" Yuan said to the growl from the protozoan. Noishe stopped and returned to his normal and cute face.

"Noishe never liked blue haired people," Kratos explained to Anna.

"Why?" she asked, and looked back at Yuan who was eyeing Noishe.

"Well, a blue protozoan attacked him when he was young, and now hates anything blue," Kratos replied, a somewhat apologetic expression on his face.

"Oh, I see," Anna said, watching the protozoan eye Yuan's hair. "So when do we get to that watchamacallit forest?" Anna asked, changing the melancholy subject. Kratos pointed to a part of the forest that seemed dense and dark.

"It's Goarrochia Forest, and before night fall. We'll have to camp in the forest. The comment filled the men with the memories of their past, leaving Anna to the awkward silence.

"Um, why are you so silent?" she asked her thoughtful companions. Yuan told Anna of the joke they played on Martel, and the joke Mithos told, and how funny it was, although it wasn't so funny to Anna.

"Is that when the joke was invented?" Anna asked as a small smile spread on her lips. The joke seemed to be as old as the world, and was invented when Kratos was young!

"Yeah, it used to be really funny, maybe one of the only jokes that ever lasted 4,000 years," Yuan replied. Anna looked ahead of her, and saw the Goarrochia Forest closer than ever before.

"Did you like Martel?" Anna asked Yuan, who turned a shade of pink.

"Yes, we were engaged, but then, Martel was killed by some selfish Tethe'allan Soldier," he muttered through clenched teeth. Kratos looked back at his old friend, and made an apologetic smile, and then continued his walking. Anna covered her mouth, and remembered when Kratos read the page, how sad it had been for them.

"Oh…," she murmured, looking at her companions with a saddened expression on her face.

"All of them had been through a lot, and here I am, not experiencing any true pain," she whispered to herself.

Everyone was silent on their walk to the Goarrochia Forest, and even Noishe didn't whine. The group respected the silence and dared not break it. Kratos had stopped at the entrance to the forest, and Anna, not noticing, ran right into him. She immediately backed away and let out an ambush of apologies.

"Kratos, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. I'm sorry," she stuttered, and Yuan chuckled at her actions. Kratos nodded and looked back at the forest.

"This is Goarrochia Forest, everyone. We can look for Ozette for awhile," he explained and continued into the creepy and dark forest.

"Why is it so dark?" Anna asked, oblivious to the Noishe creeping up behind her.

"BARK!" he barked, and Anna nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Noishe, you scared me!" she yelled, her heart beating at an extraordinary rate. Kratos rolled his eyes while Yuan smiled. Yuan instantly began a silent conversation with Kratos, making sure Anna doesn't hear.

"This reminds me of when I played that trick on Martel," he chuckled. Kratos eyed him for a moment, and then sighed.

"What do you want from me, Yuan?" Kratos hissed, annoyed at Yuan's failure at a sly movement.

"I need to know the truth. Do you like Anna?" he asked, glancing back at Anna who was busy getting a fallen tree branch off of Noishe. Kratos turned to his thoughts, searching for an answer. He had never been in love, and didn't know what it was like.

"I mean, do you feel weird around her?" Yuan asked again, trying another tactic.

"Humph," was the answer Yuan got, and he sped up to leave Yuan.

"In Kratos language, that means yes," he smirked to himself.

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Mr.Who2123: Yippee! (Hugs Kratos) Congratulations!

Kratos: What the heck?

Mr.Who2123: You love her!

Kratos: ...Review, and get off me!

Mr.Who2123: NEVER!


	19. Human Blood

Mr.Who2123: Hi guys! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in forever! I was playing Guild Wars, and I got totally addicted. (I played 9 hours straight)

Kratos: Nine freaking hours?

Mr.Who2123: Like I told you, totally addicted.

Kratos: Oh my gosh…

Mr.Who2123: Anyways, let's start the Disclaimers! Let's have my Character from Guild Wars! Allia the Seraphim!

Allia: Hey!

Mr.Who2123: YAY! (runs around in circles)

Kratos: …just do the disclaimers, please

Allia: What's wrong with her?

Mr.Who2123: DEPRIVED SLEEP!

(Allia and Kratos back away from Mr.Who2123)

Allia: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, because if she did, the characters would be in Super Smash!

Kratos: Hurry, let's start the chapter

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Kratos stopped in a small clearing and dropped his bag. The three had been searching the path out of the forest, but had no avail. Finally, after much arguing, Kratos set up camp.

"I'm so tired," Anna moaned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Yuan was right behind her, and was brushing the leaves from his azure hair.

"Yeah, Kratos. She's just a human after all," Yuan said, pulling a twig out of his ponytail. Kratos gave him a dirty look and grabbed some dead logs.

"I'm a human, too, Yuan," he replied, now throwing the logs into a pile.

"No, you're an angel," Yuan said, sitting down. Anna looked at Kratos and then back at Yuan.

"He is?" she asked. "I thought he just had wings. They didn't look like angel wings." Kratos sighed and sat down with his companions. He lifted his hand and a fireball shot out of it, lighting the logs. Noises from the fire were now starting, and the night was coming closer, although the Goarrochia Forest always seemed dark.

"Although I am, I'm still human, Yuan," Kratos finally answered, staring into the dancing flames, reflecting off his auburn eyes. Yuan looked at Kratos hard, thinking of Kratos' simple statement.

"Well, when you become an angel, you throw aside your former blood, meaning I'm not a half-elf, and you're not a human," Yuan stated, remembering the day when he put on the accursed crystal.

_"You two are going to become angels!" Mithos shouted, his hand holding three special exspheres. _

_"How, those are just exspheres," Kratos observed, staring at Mithos' hand. Yuan nodded in agreement and Mithos frowned at the two._

_"They're evolved exspheres," Mithos corrected, and gave an untrustworthy smile. Kratos gazed at the crystals. They **did** seem stronger than normal ones, but…_

_"They war is over, Mithos," Kratos said and looked up at his student's face._

_"Yes, Sylverant and Tethe'alla have signed a treaty. You should know that, you were there, Mithos. We don't need them," Yuan explained. Mithos frowned again and looked down at his hand with the crystals._

_"Yes, the war is over, but I need my sister back. Together, we will end discrimination like she asked us to!" hey yelled, his voice raised by fury and agony. Kratos glared at the young boy and Yuan considered the thought._

_"Martel won't come back," Kratos said coldly, his arms folded. Mithos looked up at his teacher and scowled._

_"I **WILL** save her, Kratos! You hear me!" Mithos screamed at Kratos, his eyes glistening with tears. Kratos just continued to stare at the boy, until he saw a tear fall down Mithos' cheek. His face softened, and he took a step towards Mithos._

_"Mithos, I know you miss her, but there's nothing you can do," he said, trying to reassure Mithos as he placed a hand on his shoulder._

_"I just need a vessel, Kratos. One vessel and Martel's soul will go to it," Mithos murmured, only audible to Kratos who was right next to him._

_"So you will sacrifice people just to get her back?" Kratos asked, his voice growing cold again. Mithos looked up at Kratos. _

_"I will do anything possible to get her…so please," he muttered. Yuan walked next to teacher and student, placing a hand on each of their backs._

_"We'll do it, but just one sacrifice," Yuan said threateningly, glaring at the boy. "Someone that is sick and will die soon." Mithos' eyes brightened and handed the exspheres to his companions._

_"Then we will all become angels and become greater than everyone else. For Martel!" he exclaimed and put the exosphere onto his hand. Kratos and Yuan stared at their cruxis crystals, balancing their decisions. Slowly, they put their cruxis crystals on, and felt a wave of immense power. Kratos and Yuan glanced at each other, both of them with a worried expression._

_"We aren't humans or half-elves," Mithos said, his eyes brightened. Suddenly, rainbow wings flared out from his back, giving Kratos and Yuan's attention. "We are angels!"_

Yuan laid back on a log, and put his arms behind his head. His mind was still racing from all of his memories, becoming completely oblivious to Kratos and Anna.

"How are you not human?" Anna asked, looking over at Kratos who was busy cooking dinner. He glanced over to her and then shook his head.

"I'm still a human no matter what anyone says." Kratos replied. Anna nodded and then grabbed a blanket.

"Yeah, but I wish people wouldn't judge others by their race," she said and curled up next to a log. Kratos and Yuan glanced at each other. It was the same exact thing Martel said long ago.

_The four companions were arriving at Ozette to rest. As they passed by the main street, they heard a speech. A young half-elf was talking about discrimination. There was a small crowd of people listening to the boy's words. Yuan widened his eyes._

_"He's just a half-elf and they're listening," he said, staring at the half-elf. Judging by appearance, he looked like he had no home. His clothes were torn up and covered in grime, and his hair looked like it had never been washed. Martel glanced at the half-elf, then back at Yuan._

_"A human made a speech at Sybak, though. Why is it so much different?" she asked, folding her arms._

_"Half-elves are discriminated and humans are not. Therefore, it is unusual to see people listen to a half-elf," Kratos explained. Martel looked down at her own clothes. They were dirty as well from being thrown in mud whenever she tried to talk to a human. Her face was slightly bruised from when a knight of Meltokio slammed her into a wall for not saying "sir."_

_"Yeah, but I wish that people wouldn't judge others by their race," she murmured, looking back at her friends._

"Done," Kratos announced, placing steaming bear meat onto a large leaf. It was cut into small bites to Ana's pleasure, as she wolfed down the food while Kratos and Yuan only had a couple bites.

"How do you eat so much?" Kratos inquired, watching Anna bite into her twentieth piece. Yuan and Kratos had finished by their second and were constantly glancing at Anna.

"How do you eat so little?" she mocked, and leaned back on a log in satisfaction. The whole plate (or leaf) was licked clean.

"That was good, Kratos!" she exclaimed, and then yawned. Kratos smiled, although Anna noticed he looked troubled. Before she could say anything about it, though, Kratos looked up at her.

"You should get some sleep," he said and walked over to Yuan who was dozing. Anna placed her hands on her hips and scowled. She "humphed" and then laid down with her blanket over her.

"I told you!" Yuan said to Kratos, a smirk spreading. "You like her." Kratos glanced at Anna and then glared at Yuan.

"I'm going to look at the stars at the clearing," he muttered and stood up. Yuan only sat back and sighed.

"C'mon, you're just going to think about her," he mocked. Kratos only grunted and then walked off. "This is CLASSIC!" Yuan said to himself.

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Mr.Who2123: Good? Bad? Too many flashbacks? Will, tell me, because I need reviews to be inspired to write! I know there are fans out there too, so EVIEW! I don't know why I say it all the time, though…

Kratos: We get the picture…

Allia: Yeah…

Mr.Who2123: humph

Kratos: That's my line!

Allia: Yeah!

Mr.Who2123: humph humph humph

Kratos: …Review


	20. Admit the Truth

Mr.Who2123: Hello! This chapter is the mushy stuff! You've all been waiting for this, huh?

Kratos: Yes, some of us

Mr.Who2123: I'll skip straight to the Disclaimers! Let's have Magnius!

Magnius: Vermin! Stupid vermin! VERMIN!

Kratos: Is that the only thing he can say?

Magnius: I hate vermin!

Kratos & Mr.Who2123: (sweat drop)

Magnius: Mr.Who2123 does not own the vermin Tales of Symphonia, vermin, but if she did own the vermin, she'd make me a vermin crab. VERMIN!

Kratos and Mr.Who2123: (sweat drop)

Kratos: We're starting…

Magnius: VERMIN!

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Kratos moved closer to the small clearing ahead of him which was the only spot where he could see the stars. He sat down on the mossy floor and looked up at the twinkling lights. The stars always calmed him on Symphonia, but scared him in Welgaia. They would be all around Kratos, making him feel he didn't belong. They always reminded him he _didn't _belong; his mind set on a peaceful world with no sacrifices, unlike his former student.

"Kratos?" Anna whispered. Kratos turned towards the camp to see Anna standing next to a tree that was nearby the small clearing where Kratos sat. "Are you okay?" Kratos nodded and returned to his gazing.

"You sure like stars," Anna remarked, making herself comfortable next to him.

"Yes, they calm me," he said softly back, sounding strange to the usual cold tone. Anna looked up at the stars along with Kratos and recognized some of the ones while they were in Izoold.

"It's your head," she giggled, pointing to the array of stars.

"It is not," Kratos replied, glaring.

"We talked about this before, Kratos," Anna giggled again. Kratos sighed and felt the bandage on his hand. For a normal person, it would sting, but with his cruxis crystal, he could barely feel it. Anna smiled and leaned onto Kratos' shoulder, snuggling into him. Kratos turned a shade of pink and tried to ignore it. _She is just tired…she's jus tired. Ignore it. _

"Kratos?" Anna asked, looking up into his eyes.

"What?" he answered. It sounded harsher than he meant, but Anna didn't seem to notice.

"I wanted to tell you that…," she gulped silently. Kratos' attention was now on the red faced woman, putting more pressure on her. "I like you, Kratos…a lot," she tried to say quickly, but ended up stuttering a lot. She looked down at her shorts, not daring to see Kratos' reaction.

Kratos was absolutely stunned. He knew she liked him, but he didn't dare think that she'd tell him herself. Well, she had grown on him too, but maybe too much. He enjoyed her company, perhaps the reason he felt again was because he liked her back?

_Like her back? ME? I am an angel of Cruxis, bound to the evil it holds. I can't love...or..._

"Anna," he began, searching for the correct words to handle the situation. "I'm…shocked." Anna looked up at him, her face somehow a darker crimson color than before. Kratos sighed. _She deserves the truth…no going around it. _His mind raced, as he opened his mouth to continue. "But, I have to say…I think I like you back. I really do." Now both of them were flushing, not even making eye contact.

"Really!" Anna exclaimed and hugged Kratos who nearly fell over from the sudden action. He gained his composure quickly again, and returned the gesture as best as he could without feeling too awkward. His body and mind felt a new sensation, and he wanted to feel it forever.

"Anna, we should get back," Kratos whispered into Anna's ears. She beamed at him and stood up. Kratos stood up as well and smiled, nodding his head to the direction of camp.

As they made their way back to camp, Kratos bent slightly lower to whisper in her ear.

"Don't tell Yuan." Anna only giggled in response.

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Mr.Who2123: I wanted to make this extra short and cute, so it's just this. Anyways I'm not good with emotional scenes except for death. (I like to write death scenes! They make the story so great and emotional!)

Kratos: So review on that, please

Magnius: REVIEW VERMIN!


	21. Honeycombs and Races

Mr.Who2123: Hello all my little reviewers!

Kratos: You make them sound like they are your pets…

Mr.Who2123: (shifts eyes) well…hehehe…let's start the Disclaimers!

Kratos: (sigh)

Mr.Who2123: Hmmmm…I know! How about George from the Lezareno Company!

Kratos: That's a random choice…

George: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia. Simple as that. Can I get you two a room to the greatest hotel with free buffets and swimming pools?

Mr.Who2123: OF COURSE! KRATOS YOU'RE COMING!

Kratos: What? - (gets dragged off by Mr.Who2123)

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Yuan was leaning on a fallen log, resting. He heard a giggle coming from where Kratos was and opened his eyes. _Is Anna with him?_ He stretched his arms and sat up, trying to pick up the faint sounds of the two.

"-tell Yuan," he heard Kratos say softly, and then it was silent. _Tell me what?_ He wondered, now hearing leaves crunch from their footsteps. Quickly, he fell back down on the log and pretended to be resting.

Anna was now in the campsite and let go of Kratos' hand to lie down next to the small smoldering fire. Soon enough, she was fast asleep, and Kratos was positive she was content with everything. Someone could stab her and she'd still be smiling. He watched her ever rising and falling chest until he heard a rustle behind him. Yuan had shifted to see the two more clearly, and was caught spying red handed.

Without turning, Kratos sighed. "What is it, Yuan?" he muttered, finally approaching Yuan who had opened his eyes. He smiled and beckoned Kratos to sit with him, and the seraphim sat down and leaned against the log with Yuan.

"So?" he said, raising his brows in an amusing matter. Kratos glared at his fellow companion and didn't reply. He closed his eyes and sighed again.

"C'mon, tell me," he urged again. This is not something he would give in to, and Kratos knew he wouldn't get away by ignoring it.

"She just wanted to check on me," he lied. It wasn't very good, for Yuan raised his brow again and folded his arms.

"Then why did she giggle?" Yuan had Kratos now.

"I told her of the time when I poured the tomato soup on your head. She giggled from it," Kratos continued, making the false statements as he went.

"I heard a 'tell Yuan.' What did that mean?"

"I said **don't** tell Yuan. I knew you would get mad," Kratos finished, evidently glad that he was done with lying. He had never liked it, but sometimes he needed to do it.

Yuan thought for a moment. Despite the long time spent together, he could never tell if Kratos lied or not; his expression was always the same. The lie sunk into Yuan as he thought over it slowly.

"Alright, whatever," he muttered and closed his eyes in an attempt of false sleep. Kratos silently sighed with satisfaction. He had won the battle, but not the war. It would be hard to keep his love for Anna a secret to Mr. Nosey, not that he **is** really nosey, but when Yuan wanted to find something out, he will do anything to find out.

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"Anna, do we have to keep doing this?" Kratos muttered under his breath, shaking the woman to the point where her whole body shook. She continued her slumber, unaffected by the failed attempts to wake her up. "Yuan, shock her awake or something," Kratos said, taking a step back. He covered his face in a hand and pushed back the aggravation that Anna had been causing him all morning.

Yuan smirked and lifted a hand to her stomach, nearly touching the shirt that covered her. He muttered a few words and small spark was sent to Anna. Her eyes snapped open and she squirmed from the uncomfortable feeling of the shock. Kratos smirked as she stood up and kept brushing her shirt as if to make the tingle go away. When the small lightning finished its wrath, Anna spun on the two Seraphim.

"What was that for?" she demanded. She tried her best to look as scary and angry at the men, but when Yuan shook his head and smiled, she knew it wasn't working well.

"How else are we going to wake you?" Kratos sneered, picking up the bag. Anna placed her hands on her hips and grunted something about stupidity, only making Kratos smile as well.

"C'mon, let's go," Yuan said, making leave of their camp. Kratos and Anna followed, sparing small glances at each other while Yuan didn't look.

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"I swear we passed by this tree!" Anna exclaimed at a rather giant oak tree that had moss covering it from trunk up to the branches. Kratos stared at the tree and shook his head.

"No, we didn't," he replied calmly, and turned left towards another path. Anna and Yuan, both disgruntled, followed. Kratos had started leading when Yuan led them into a monster's lair on accident, and ever since, the pathway seemed the same, as if they were moving in circles.

"That log looks familiar too!" she continued. She tried to persuade the mercenary that he was going in circles, but he usually ignored or just said "no."

Yuan was too busy pulling out another twig from his hair. It seemed that anything sticky or that could make a major tangle somehow landed in the deep blue hair of the seraphim. Succeeding in pulling out the wood, Yuan smiled inwardly, and then cast the wood on the floor. He pushed his hand through his hair, but then stopped at a small honeycomb that must have fallen from a nearby beehive. He cursed and tried to get the sticky substance out, only making the situation worse.

Anna, forgetting her verbal corral, laughed as she heard a buzzing noise.

"Better run away," Kratos muttered at Yuan's paled expression. Anna looked to her right and saw a swarm of bees heading straight for Yuan. The dashed around in the air madly, trying to find the missing honeycomb that was in poor Yuan's hair. They caught the scent and made their way to Yuan who stopped and turned ghostly white. Instantly, he ran for it, passing Kratos and Anna and into the deep forest. Anna began to burst out laughing and Kratos managed a chuckle or two.

"Poor Yuan…," she choked through fits of laughter. Tears began to come down her cheeks, and fell behind to catch her breath. Kratos was done with her mirth and moved ahead without waiting.

"Wait, Kratos!" she said, subsiding some giggles when she thought of Yuan. She fell in step with the seraphim and exhaled deeply to calm herself down. "I wonder where Yuan is," she said to herself, glancing sideways.

"Probably already at Ozette from the speed he was running at," Kratos replied. Anna smiled and closed her eyes. Minutes passed with silence and it began to get on the two's nerves.

"Did you really mean what you said last night?" Anna asked, catching Kratos off guard. He stopped for a moment, but then regained his composure and continued his pace.

"Why would I lie to you?" he said, wondering how Anna came up with the question.

"I don't know," she said, and looked down at her exsphere. Suddenly, a hand touched her cheek, and she saw Kratos who stopped.

"I meant what I said, Anna," he said, making a soft smile. Anna smiled back and hooked on to Kratos' arm like she always did when she wanted to be with him.

"Let's find Yuan," Kratos said, and quickened his pace to a run. Anna let go and followed, enjoying the breeze that came to her. She wanted to feel how she did that moment forever, like she meant something. A wave of amusement rushed over her.

"I bet I can beat ya!" she exclaimed, and hurried through the dark forest. Kratos smirked and ran faster to keep up with her.

"I bet you can't," he replied mockingly, and hurried ahead of her. She pouted and made her feet go as fast as she could.

The two continued through the gloom forest that didn't seem so dark anymore, trying to move ahead of one another.

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Anna panted in exasperation. Despite her weariness, she managed to beat Kratos, and now the two were at the entrance to Ozette where Yuan was waiting.

"How far did you two run?" Yuan asked, watching as Anna fell to the floor.

"I…beat you…Kratos," she said and stuck her tongue out at Kratos who was tired as well, but didn't show it as much. He scowled at her remark.

"I let you win," he replied.

"No you didn't!" Anna stumbled to her feet, and her legs trembled.

"Humph, let's just get the sacred wood," Kratos said, giving in to the stubborn woman. Yuan shook his head.

"Let's go," the blue haired seraphim muttered and walked into Ozette with Kratos and Anna dragging themselves with him.

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Mr.Who2123: Yay for fluffiness!

George: Smoothies, anyone?

Mr.Who2123: SMOOTHIE! (slurps it ravenously)

Kratos: (sigh)

Mr.Who2123: If you review, I'll give you a smoothie of good reviewerness!

Kratos: Whatever…


	22. Love Known

Mr.Who2123: Hello, guys! We are going to do this story more…but I need more ideas! GIVE ME IDEAS!

Kratos: Mr.Who2123 owns nothing…how sad.

Mr.Who2123: HEY!

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Anna gasped at the small run down village. There were only about ten buildings in all, and vines grew all over the houses, twisted from the limited space. The people of Ozette were solemn, and barely even spared a glance at their new guests.

"It's so…dead," Anna whispered. Kratos gave her a reassuring glance, and then strode to the inn as if he had been here numerous times. Yuan followed, but Anna lingered her horrified gaze on the sad village. The comparison to the beautiful Meltokio was paled by a great amount.

"Anna, what are you doing?" Yuan called from the inn entrance. Kratos was already inside, but Yuan had stayed to see if she was alright. Anna looked at the seraphim and ran towards the small rundown inn.

"Humph," Kratos muttered to Yuan and Anna who just walked in. His arms were folded across his chest, and he looked annoyed. "They only have one room available." He wanted Anna in her own room, but the small shack that served as an inn only had so many rooms available.

Kratos handed the Gald to the inn keeper and grabbed the key that dangled from the man's fingers. The room barely served its purpose as a place to sleep. Three small straw beds were smashed together in one side, and there was a bench on the other side with a weak wooden table.

"This is our room?" Yuan mumbled. Anna didn't quite care and Kratos just "humphed." Anna walked over to one of the beds and jumped on it. The inevitable happened…

The bed gave away under the sudden weight, and Anna screamed and then crashed with the bed. Yuan held his mouth open and Kratos raised one eyebrow. Anna was rubbing her head and picked herself up.

"Oops," she said.

"Anna…," Kratos muttered. Anna turned around with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she said. Yuan smiled.

"C'mon, let's get the wood," he called and left the room. Kratos and Anna looked at each other for awhile, lingering their gazes.

"Sorry about the-," she began. Kratos took a step towards her and placed a hand on her red cheek.

"It's fine," he whispered back, and softened his gaze. Anna looked up into his eyes, the swirling pools of never ending brown. Kratos moved his head closer to hers until their lips were merely inches away. Anna felt herself burn in realization of what was happening. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his, and sensation swept over the two. Kratos, with his cold demeanor gone, let himself be carried away as he held her close for a few more seconds.

Slowly, Anna finally pulled away despite the wonderful feeling.

"We have to go or Yuan will suspect something," she whispered. Kratos made a small smile and followed her out, while mulling over what just happened.

Yuan saw the whole thing, the kiss, the smiling, all of it. He was right next to the door until he heard Anna start to leave the room. Yuan instantly teleported himself out into the outside, and snickered as he placed himself right next to the door of the inn.

Shortly after, Anna came through the wooden door with a giant grin on her face. _Looks like she can't hide her feelings. Still, Kratos…of all people, KRATOS! He's pretty lucky_, he thought as Kratos walked out after her. His face was stony, and there was no evidence that anyone kissed him.

"What took you so long?" Yuan teased despite the knowledge he already had of it. Anna turned red, but Kratos just glanced at Yuan.

"I was helping her out with the bed," Kratos lied. Yuan smirked inwardly. _Nice try_.

"Alright, the grove of sacred trees is down this vine," Yuan explained. A giant vine, so large that one could walk on it, twisted down into a clearing with a single shack. Kratos hopped onto the vine and tested the strength of the bridge. He jumped, but it didn't even rumble or move. Kratos took a step forward, and when he felt the hard surface unyielding to his weight, he beckoned Yuan and Anna to come on it as well.

Silently, the three made their way down the vine, watching all the sights come and go. Anna even saw the root of all the vines. It was a giant flower that stuck to the bottom of the village. Its dull yellow color blended somehow with the mossy green, and vines came out of the sides of it.

Kratos stepped down from the vine, and Yuan followed his action while Kratos helped Anna down. Yuan shook his head, watching the kindness seep out of the usual cold mercenary.

_They both can't hide it_, he thought. Kratos looked around at all the trees, and then at the shack.

"It will be easier if we get the wood from an lumberjack," Kratos explained, and knocked on the lonely shack. There was no sound from inside the house and Kratos knocked again. Still no sound, Kratos slammed his fist into the weak door and nearly broke it off the hinges.

The door creaked open and a young girl with pink hair in large pigtails stared at them with curious eyes.

"My daddy is sick," she said and left into another room, leaving the door open.

"Okay…," Anna muttered, leaning into the house. It wasn't large at all, and the two rooms were both clustered with broken axes and clay pots. Two simple beds were in the other room, and a man lay in one of the two. The girl was standing next to her father, giving him some sort of medicine.

"Excuse us," Anna called. The girl started, and the man shifted to sit up in his bed. "Do you have any sacred wood?" she asked. The man smiled, and beckoned for them to come in.

"This is Presea, my daughter, and Alicia, my four year old, is asleep in the other bed," the man explained. Kratos turned to a small girl under the sheets, sound asleep.

"I am Soren. I am sorry, I am sick, but we have plenty of wood," he said. "Presea, fetch some sacred wood, please."

"Alright, daddy!" she ran off into the other room and came back with a bundle of wood tied together by a thick string.

"Is this enough?" Soren asked as Kratos took the wood. It was twice as large as his head, more than enough.

"Yes, thank you," Yuan replied for Kratos. Soren smiled and pat Presea on the head.

The three waved their good byes to Soren and his daughter as they left the cabin.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: Question answered, Fehize. You saw Presea! YAY!

Kratos: Review.


	23. Character Out of Hand

Mr.Who2123: Chapter 23! Let's go!

Kratos: She owns nothing…amazingly. She can manipulate anyone.

Mr.Who2123: Make me a cheeseburger! (She is yelling at a snake)

(Snake comes back with a cheeseburger)

Mr.Who2123: Mwahahaha! Oh, let's start!

-.-.-.-.-

The three walked silently back to their inn room. Yuan, finding the bed still on the floor and a mess, eyed Kratos.

"You said you helped Anna with the bed," he stated. Kratos remained silent. "What were you doing?" Knowing Kratos had kissed Anna was not enough for Yuan. He had to hear it out of the stubborn Seraphim's mouth.

"Well…" he stopped. _Caught like a mouse in a trap. Ah, stupid cliché phrases._ Anna spoke for her love.

"He was helping me when I fell. I was hurt so he checked to make sure I was okay," she said. _A formidable excuse, but a lie_. "That wouldn't have hurt. First of all, you have a cruxis crystal, and second, you got up just fine without a scratch. Do you guys mistrust me that much?" Yuan mocked being hurt. Kratos took the bait and cast his eyes down.

"Well, we…" he glanced at Anna. _Hehehe, this is going to be a big emotional blow._ Yuan thought. He always loved to tease Kratos and this was no exception. "We…' he mumbled the word kissed, but Yuan didn't hear it.

"What?" Yuan replied. "I didn't hear the last word." Kratos was having an emotional breakdown. He closed his eyes. "We kissed." He muttered again, audible this time.

Yuan tried to hold in his laughter. He bit his lip, and soon enough, he was on the floor laughing.

"Kissed! Hahahaha!" he gasped. Kratos was red with singular rage.

"Yuan, shut up," he yelled. Anna was red with embarrassment and hid behind Kratos as he folded his arms. Yuan subsided his laughs and dusted himself off in a formal manner.

"Sorry, but that was too funny," he giggled from his words, but quickly straightened his face again. "There is one problem though. Kratos, you are one of the Seraphim, Yggdrasil would kill her if he knew that you love her." Kratos froze and Anna gasped.

"This cannot happen. I'm sorry," Kratos said softly. "Anna, fate was cruel to make you love someone who is bound to such evil." Anna looked down at her feet. _This is so horrible_, she thought agonized. _I can't love him? Right when he accepts me…_ Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"I hate this fake goddess!" she screamed. She kicked a bed and it cracked, nearly falling down like the one next to it. "I hate cruxis! Why does this have to happen!" Anna continued to bang her arms into walls, acting desperately while Kratos and Yuan watched her lost for words.

"Kratos, you idiot," Yuan hissed. Kratos sighed and walked up to the one he loved, who was in the middle of crying on one of the beds. The Seraphim did what he did not expect. Kratos hugged her while she sobbed onto his shoulder. He held her close, nearly crying himself.

"I don't know what to do," she sobbed into his ear. Kratos only held her tighter. Yuan watched the scene with sadness. The two held to each other for a little longer until Kratos loosened his grip on her, but planted a quick kiss on her head.

"I don't know what to do, either, but we have to save the worlds and protect everyone. I need you with me Anna," Anna smiled at his reply and wiped her tears with a sleeve.

"Thank you." She buried her head into his chest, holding tight. Kratos waited a few minutes, keeping his eyes closed until he stood up and helped Anna to her feet.

Yuan smiled warmly at his friends and pat Kratos on the back.

"Never knew you had it in you," Yuan whispered to him. Kratos smiled and returned Yuan's gesture.

-.-.-.-.-

Later that night, all three of them had put the blankets on the floor to sleep safe against the weak beds that would break if someone sat on one.

"…and when they finished dancing, Yuan tripped in front of Martel, making a complete fool of himself," Kratos said. Anna burst out laughing and Yuan reddened. The three were telling stories of past times, and Yuan was the victim. Kratos chuckled at the memory and Yuan let out a few nervous laughs.

Then, a memory came to Yuan, and it became a weapon.

"Well, I have a story about Kratos that is more embarrassing than any of my stories. Do you know what I am saying, Kratos?" Yuan sneered maliciously. Kratos immediately paled and hid his face in his hand.

"Yuan please don't," he pleaded. **Pleaded!** Anna giggled and urged Yuan to continue.

"Well, it all started about when Kratos and I were about nineteen…" he began. Kratos listened as he desperately prayed for a meteor to crash onto Yuan that second.

-.-.-.-.-

_Yuan and Kratos were walking down the main street of Palmacosta. Salt filled the air and the waves crashing against docks were music to the seraphim' keen ears._

_"So are you ready for the party?" Kratos asked casually. They both wore dark colored suits each with a white undershirt to flatter the formal wear. Yuan loosened his collar and sighed. _

_"Yeah, I'm proposing on Martel's birthday. I have the ring," he replied, fishing a small box in his pocket. Kratos nodded and clasped Yuan on the back. _

_"Just say what you feel and it'll go well," Kratos reassured._

_Inside the hall of the mansion where the party was held, Yuan split with Kratos to find Martel. Kratos was walking around nonchalantly, observing the many things around him. The mansion was packed and Kratos was shoulder to shoulder with others as he went wherever the hall took him. _

_Suddenly, a young woman stops him._

_"Hey, want a drink?" she suggested, holding a glass of beer. Kratos, being nineteen and not 4,036, took the beer with thanks and downed the glass with one swig. The woman offered another, and Kratos, being the happy go lucky at the time, downed it too. By now, his mind fogged up and he asked for more, except, he accidentally took the alcohol. He drank it with speed and he completely lost character._

-.-.-.-.-

Kratos held his head down in deep embarrassment. Yuan was laughing out loud and Anna laughing with the same vigor. Yuan held out his hand and stopped laughing.

"Hold on, this is the best part," he said and Anna listened intently while Kratos groaned. Anna would never live it down…

-.-.-.-.-

_Kratos grabbed the pitcher of alcohol and poured it down his throat, groping constantly for more fuel. The woman gaped at him. She just wanted to get him drunk enough to get a kiss or two, but she lost her taste in him and left. Kratos threw the pitcher on the floor, completely drunk and out of sorts. He stumbled through the mansion and found Yuan, kneeling in front of Martel._

_"Martel, I-," Yuan began, and then noticed Kratos. "Hey, what are you doing?" Kratos staggered into the empty room and smiled carelessly. Yuan knew something was strange. _

_"Hey guys," Kratos said dumbly, leaning from side to side. Yuan knew at that second that his friend had been having a drink or two. _

_"Kratos, why are you drunk?" Yuan asked sharply, standing up. _And when I propose, too_, he thought. Kratos put a hand to the wall to steady himself and then walked right in between Martel and Yuan._

_"Hey, Marty. Guess what? You have a nice rack, you lucky duck! You should use them!" he yelled, laughed, and then fell to the floor unconscious. Martel gasped, and suddenly felt weak and dizzy. Yuan, just blankly stared at his unconscious friend._

_"I can't believe him," he whispered. Martel looked at Yuan with horror._

_"What was wrong with him?" she whispered. Yuan shook his head._

_"That is why I never drink," he muttered to himself._

-.-.-.-.-

Kratos had left the room by the time Yuan was done, and the two were laughing so hysterically, it rang through the whole town. Kratos could hear their laughing even outside and tried to not focus on it.

"I was drunk, it wasn't me, I was drunk, it wasn't me," he kept saying to himself. Anna would mock him for the rest of their lives.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: HAHAHAHAHAHA! Poor Kratos! HAHAHAHA!

Kratos: (Groans) Just review…


	24. Cruxis Finds Out

Mr.Who2123: Well, after our HILLARIOUS chapter of a drunk Kratos, we swoosh into I think more serious stuff…I am not sure yet.

Kratos: She doesn't own TOS, we've said that 24 times now.

Mr.Who2123: I like the word swoosh. SWOOSH!

-.-.-.-.-

Kratos took a huge nervous breath and walked back into the inn room, expecting, well, the worst. When he took one step in, Anna burst out laughing, picturing him getting drunk. Kratos reddened and sat down in between his companions, his eyes plastered to the floor.

"C'mon, cheer up, Kratos!" Anna whined and snuggled next to him, offering some comfort. He made a small smile and lifted his eyes to meet her green ones. Yuan was resting, and decided to drop the subject of the story. The story itself was bad enough, but teasing would be too much for his friend. _I'll let Anna console him_, Yuan thought, and drifted into a shallow sleep.

Kratos felt much better after closing his eyes and pushing the thought out of his mind. Anna had her head on his shoulder, and Kratos had a hand round her waist, and the two were content to the fullest.

"Hey, Kratos," Anna started and Kratos looked down at her. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to find the rest of the materials needed to make the ring and save the two worlds," he replied. "No, what are _we_ going to do?" Anna continued. Her eyes were dispirited and she wanted to cry again. Kratos understood the message and wrapped his arms around her stomach and rested his head on her shoulder. She was a comfort to Kratos and he was a comfort to Anna, and the two rested in silence for awhile.

"I'm going to kill Mithos, no matter what," he whispered. "And we can live together." Anna smiled and leaned against her love and fell asleep in a heartbeat.

-.-.-.-.-

Everyone was outside and packed, ready to move on. Noishe padded up to the group as soon as he saw them, and whined in pure glee.

"Hey, Noise. Did you miss me?" she cooed and rubbed one of his large ears, and Noishe whined again. Kratos smiled and Yuan tried to pat the dog's head, but Noishe saw the blue and inched away a little.

"Ready?" Kratos asked after Noishe was finished with his treatment of rubs and pats. The two nodded and Kratos turned towards the Goarrachia Forest, but felt a welling of mana. He reacted instantly and drew his flaming sword, and spun around. Anna gasped and backed away behind Kratos and Yuan drew his twin bladed sword.

"I see the traitors are together, now," a malicious voice sneered. Yggdrasil, with his giant violet wings flared out, was behind them. "Yuan, I trusted you, and you betray me too?" Yuan raised his blade in readiness and just glared at his former master.

"You're ways are pure selfishness and evil. I would never work with someone like you," he snarled back. All four just glared at their enemy until Yggdrasil caught sight of Anna hiding behind one of the seraphim. A smirk reached his lips, and he disappeared and reappeared right behind Anna and grabbed her wrist before she could react.

"Who's this little disgusting human?" Yggdrasil asked calmly.

"Mithos don't touch her!" Kratos yelled, but Yggdrasil's smirk just increased.

"I've never seen you like this. Is this wretched being someone you actually care for? Do you love this human, Kratos?" Yggdrasil continued to tease. Kratos charged at Mithos with all the speed his legs could muster and sliced at his leader. Mithos, however, disappeared behind his attacker and had a beam charged.

"Kratos, behind!" Yuan yelled alarmingly, and cast a quick lightning on Yggdrasil to give Kratos some time. Kratos twirled and struck Mithos in the side, and the cruxis leader let his hand go of Anna and to his bleeding wound. Anna stumbled to the ground from being let go of so abruptly, and Kratos raced to her side.

"Kratos, you pathetic human! You'll pay for this! JUDGMENT!" Mithos screamed. Rays of light fell everywhere around the small town, and destroyed many of the small, wooden buildings. Burning rays burst the giant vines and left black marks all over the village floor only a couple minutes after it started.

Kratos' first intuition was to protect Anna, so he flung himself over her, shielding her with his back as one of the rays fell upon them. The attack burned away at Kratos' skin in a heartbeat, and Kratos grunted with exertion to not collapse on top of Anna. Pain smothered his back and crawled up his neck, leaving charred skin and blood falling down his partly bare back.

Yuan summoned a force field in time to block a couple rays that headed for him, and the rays bounced back or dispersed when they hit the shield. He noticed the predicament with Kratos badly wounded, and Yggdrasil slowly approaching the two with his mana well ready to be used.

"Get away from them, Yggdrasil!" Yuan yelled, and then mentally slapping himself for not attacking while he was unnoticed. Yggdrasil turned quickly to Yuan and lifted his hand at Yuan.

"Why do always insist on helping others? You'll just get killed, Yuan," he said carelessly, and mana gathered at his hand. He smiled maliciously before letting the beam loose, and the powerful attack raced towards the seraphim. Yuan spun his double blade in front of him and inserted mana into it to create a quick, yet effective force field which deflected the magic attack, splitting it and sending it in all different directions.

"Yuan helps others…because this is what happens," a voice behind the two said. A flaming sword appeared suddenly through Yggdrasil's mid section, and he widened his eyes.

"Kratos, how COULD you!" he screamed, and fell to the floor, sword still inside him. Blood circled and covered the cruxis leader, red encrusting to his golden hair and staining his pure white clothes.

Kratos though was having a bit of trouble as well. The wound was still open and the blood was flowing, though it lessened much. Yggdrasil looked up at the two traitors and cursed.

"Pronyma, help me!" he muttered, and fell unconscious. Kratos roughly pulled out his sword and limped over to Anna who was told before to stay down and face away, and cover her ears. Kratos touched her shoulder and she turned quickly to a red filled village.

"What happened Kratos?" she asked, standing up abruptly. She noticed the wound that Kratos had and instantly bent over slightly to touch it. "Does it hurt?" she asked, placing a gently hand on the wound. Kratos squinted his eyes and nodded slightly to answer her question. Yuan raced to the other two quickly, also noticing the wound.

"Kratos, why didn't you use guardian?" Yuan muttered, examining the wound. Kratos didn't reply, but went to his knees to let the two treat his wound. Yuan and Anna immediately went to cleaning the wound by picking out all of the flesh and leftovers of burnt clothes that stuck to his wound.

"I guess I forgot," he replied sullenly as Yuan and Anna kept picking the bits of charred flesh and clothes off the wound.

"This wound is pretty big. Kratos take off your shirt," Yuan stated. Kratos sighed in annoyance and even slight embarrassment as he peeled off his blood stained clothing, revealing a strong back with a few scars that ran down it from his years of warfare and fighting. Anna poured water on the burn, and Kratos muttered in pain of the sharp sting that tortured his spine. Yuan grabbed a homemade solution that looked like yellow cream, and smeared a little on the wound.

"At least that doesn't hurt," Kratos uttered very softly, enjoying the cool feel to his burn. Last, Anna wrapped the wound with a white bandage, and the wound was finally treated.

"Good as new!" Anna exclaimed, patting Kratos on the shoulder. Kratos, however, was focused on something else. The large puddle of blood which Yggdrasil was in was gone, blood and all. Mithos was nowhere to be seen, and Yuan noticed too shortly after Kratos.

"It looks like Pronyma got him while we were focused on your wound," Yuan murmured. "Well, we should get you a new shirt anyways." Yuan grabbed a bag and fished out a new shirt and cloak, tossing it to his fellow seraphim that caught it carelessly. Kratos threw the clothes over his head, and soon he looked fine although his back stung when he bent over.

"It looks like you can't fight for awhile, Kratos," Yuan said when Kratos winced for the third time, trying to get his bag. Yuan got it instead and gave it to Kratos with a sad smile. "If you overdo it, you could be paralyzed." Kratos, exhausted, just followed Yuan with Anna at his side, willing to verbally or physically support her love.

The group of four, since Noishe came back after the fight, had to stop three times for Kratos to rest for a short while from exhaustion or pain that would build up and overwhelm him every hour.

"It will be a long trip through this cursed forest," he muttered, and Yuan nodded in sheer agreement.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: Well, this took me a couple days to write since I only had bits of time to write, but enjoy it!

Kratos: Review.


	25. Empty World, Empty Heart

Mr.Who2123: Man…I can't remember the last time I wrote a chapter. I'm thinking of quitting about now, but I want to finish this story first…

Kratos: Well, I say don't quit, because if you do…I am gone forever.

Mr.Who2123: NOOO! Well, on the other hand, I get the free samples all to myself…

Kratos: What?

Mr.Who2123: Remember when we went to Costco and you took all the free samples!!

Kratos: …Mr.Who2123 owns nothing, not even Costco…excuse me, I have to beat some sense into this insane…thing.

Mr.Who2123: They're MY free samples! ALL MINE!!!

* * *

The deep black of the Goarrachia Forest can make anyone feel the world is empty. Anna was no exception. The sky was completely black, with no stars at all thanks to the thick branches of the black trees that blended with the black of night. The black quiet of the night also entranced her. There was no sound to purge her of the complete darkness that surrounded her. She felt that the whole world was black and silent and nothing could change it...until a crunch of a broken tree limb broke her trance and twirled with reputed fear. The silence enhanced the sound behind her and sound as though a whole tree was felled instead of a simple crushed branch. Behind her was Yuan, concern glimmering in his eyes. 

"What are you doing out so late?" he asked, walking right next to her. Anna sighed in relief, brushing off the fear she had moments ago.

"Just...looking," she replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as she could. Turth was, she never got used to Yuan, and after he knew of Kratos' and her love, she felt even more uncomfortable around him. Before Yuan could ask what, she began again. "The sky, you can't see the stars, or even the moon. It feels like the whole world is just black." Yuan, having nothing to say, just nodded and watched the sky as well.

"It does kind of feel that way, doesn't it?" he asked, partly to her, and partly to himself. Abruptly, he turned to her. "Let's go back."

"Alright," she replied, and began to follow Yuan who had already started walking back to camp.

"What's Kratos doing?" Anna asked, yearnig for some more noise.

"He's resting so his wound can have some time to heal. Already, it's forming a layer of skin to replace the charred," he replied, and Anna smiled.

"I'm glad he's getting better," she swhispered to herself.

Anna spotted the camp by indicating her love's distinct hair. She giggled to herself and walked a bit faster. As she approached Kratos, who lay sleeping under his cloak, she laughed even harder when she heard him muttter ever so slightly the words "evil tomatoes." It brought back the wonderful memories of her making him eat the spaghetti back at Luin. It almost made her yearn for that time again, when life was still a little bit more simple.

"I'll never forget this," she said through giggles. She heard Yuaan approach behind her, but ignored it until she felt cold hands grasp her neck.

"You won't," Yuan answered darkly. "because this will be the last time you'll see him." Yuan began tightening his grip on her neck as knives of intense pain stabbed constantly at her throat with no relent at all. Her lungs groped for air, yet she had none to give, and the painful pressure grew with each moment. Anna desperately groped for the hands that threatened to kill her, but her strength didn't even compare to Yuan's. Her last vision was her killer, a spy who simply carried out his orders: Yuan.

* * *

The pain of his back rudely woke him up from his dreamless sleep, where he could leave the pain, even if for a small time. Frustrated, Kratos sat up slowly and snapped on his cloak, though he noticed Anna and Yuan were gone. 

"Probably gone for a walk, if I know Anna. And Yuan...," he muttered softly as he pulled himself up. "Yuan probably left to practice with his blade." Relieved that the pain in his back slowly ebbed down to a small tingle, Kratos started cleaning the camp of blankets or the first aid kits that might have been left out, wincing in pain when he knelt down or slowly raised himself back up.

As he finally packed the last of the goods, and stood to look for his companions, Kratos noticed a carving in a nearby oak tree, the words seemed they have been charred by magic. It read: "We have Anna. surrender to Ygdrasil or death will fall upon her. Yuan" Kratos couldn't believe the words. He read it, then read it over two more times, seething more and more.

"He turned on me? I thought he hated Yggdrail too!" he roared. Kratos pounded the tree with all his anger and the bark crushed beneath his fist. A large hole appeared where the words were, making it illegible. "Yuan was against me from the beginning. He was one of the few I could trust...he soiled that trust, too!" he yelled, madly glaring at the crushed tree. _What do I do? Anna is caught up in all this because of me...me I should've just left her at Luin, or killed her to spare her the pain of the cruxis crystal. Should I let her die, to save Symphonia? She would be a sacrifie, though, and I can't accept that. _With his mind made up, Kratos summoned his wings and lifted from the ground, heading higher and higher to Derris Kharlan. _I'll save Anna and find a way to save Symphonia, even if I'm in Derris Kharlan until the end of time._

* * *

Yggdrasil smirked at the sight of his spy with the captive, coming into the main hall. Yuan laid Anna down in a small cage protected by Yggdrasil's own magic. 

"Yggdrasil, I've taken the girl. Kratos should be here soon, but he will not fight. The wound pains him too much," Yuan said, bowing his head slightly to the authority.

"Good job, Yuan. I shall have my friends again to aid me in my life's mission: to save Martel," Yggdrasil replied madly. "And of course you'll have your part of the bargain that we explained when you tried to fight me. Martel will be your wife, and your part was to bring back Kratos. You're job has been beautiffuly done, so my end of the deal will be done as soon as a sacrifice comes." Yuan nodded, though he couldn't help but regret his decision.

* * *

Mr.Who2123: Sorry it's so short, but this should keep you thinking for at least a little while. 

Kratos: I think I set her straight (sigh) Though it wasn't easy...

(flashback of him slapping Mr.Who over and over on the cheek until she started summoning Bahamut to kill him.)

Mr.Who2123: Well, I'll update when I can. Review please!


	26. Defeat?

Mr.Who2123: Man, I'm going hard core writer…two chapters in one day…that almost NEVER happens! And I thought that I was going to quit!

Kratos: Is that good or bad?

Mr.Who2123: I dunno, all I know is that it's weird.

Kratos: Mr.Who2123 does not own any ToS related thing…except this story.

-.-.-.-.-

Kratos finally made it to Derris Kharlan. It was the same as he had left it, lifeless. Every single angel who saw him showed lifeless eyes with no emotion in them. Just obedience. It only angered Kratos more to make a wonderful and colorful world dull and lifeless like the angels he passed by. As Kratos stepped on the warp pad to the main hall, he sighed deeply, hoping that somehow he could make it out with Anna.

Yuan and Yggdrasil were both waiting with an unconscious Anna in the small prison by Yuan. Yggdrasil was smirking with his devious eyes watching Kratos who entered the large room. Angels were stationed on the sides of the room to prevent escape, or to capture Kratos if necessary. As the rebellious seraphim stepped off the warp pad, two angels blocked it from entry. _Looks like I'm not going to be able to get out of this one without a fight,_ he thought, walking forward to Yggdrasil.

"Ah, Kratos! How nice of you to come so quickly," he exclaimed, like Kratos was an old friend.

"I'm only here for Anna. Do what you will with me, but just please take Anna back to Izoold," Kratos replied angrily. He wouldn't take any of Yggdrasil's formalities. Yggdrasil mocked a frown and came down the steps to meet Kratos, trying to act as an old friend.

"Oh, Kratos, I don't think I can do that. Anna is my dear Angelus Project, and I would like to have my new Cruxis Crystal. I will take her to the Asguard Ranch in exchange for your return," he said. _My return? More like for my bondage,_ Kratos said in his thoughts. _Besides, taking Anna to Asguard is like taking her to a different room and saying she's in a whole different house._

"I won't bargain for that, Yggdrasil. I demand that you set her free," Kratos exclaimed furiously, his love for Anna driving him to emotion. Yggdrasil just sneered at Kratos.

"Oh, I don't think you're in the state to be making demands, my former companion," Yggdrasil said calmly. Five angels came up behind Kratos, ready to grab him at the leader's order. Kratos' noticed them and lowered his head in defeat. He knew he couldn't fight, and he wouldn't want to be paralyzed.

"Please, I beg you, just set her free," Kratos muttered. He made a fist of his gloved hand, squeezing it as tightly as his strength allowed it.

"I told you that I can't do that, Kratos. She's only an inferior being. She deserves to die any-," he was interrupted by a shout.

-.-.-.-.-

Anna had woken up from her unconsciousness, and saw Kratos and Yggdrasil talking, with Yuan right in front of her. She noticed her cage around her, and then remembered Yuan betraying Kratos and her. Fortunately, Yuan was facing away from Anna, showing his cape. Anna had a plan…

Quietly, she scooted to the edge of the cage and snatched a corner of the dark cape, praying to an unknown god that she doesn't get caught before her plan is devised. Slowly but surely, Anna held the cape with both hands and pulled as hard as she could. Yuan shouted and fell against the hard rods, knocking him out. Quickly, she grabbed the key and set herself free.

-.-.-.-.-

Kratos and Yggdrasil both saw Anna get out of the cage and run to Kratos, ignoring the angels around her.

"Kratos!" she yelled, running to him. The two embraced quickly on contact, and then Kratos stepped in front of her to guard her against the Cruxis leader.

"What a lovely reunion," Yggdrasil mocked. He was still smirking, unworried about the unconscious Yuan.

"Yggdrasil, were leaving together and there's nothing you can do about it," Kratos snarled at Yggdrasil. He pulled out his sword, not even knowing what he was thinking, and pointed it at Yggdrasil. This time, Yggdrasil laughed, mocking Kratos with every breath, angering the seraphim even more.

"Shut up, Mithos!" he barked, and Yggdrasil subsided again, leaving a smirk again.

"Kratos, you know you cannot defeat me, so why do you try?" he asked. Kratos hesitated slightly before answering.

"Because I, Mithos, have hope, and will never give up, unlike you who decides to give up on a peaceful world. Look at these angels, lifeless! Do you even care?" Kratos flared.

"Of course not, they're just pawns," Yggdrasil sneered, but suddenly, he stopped smiling and opened his mouth slightly. His eyes dimmed, and he fell to the floor. Kratos was unsure if he was dead or not, and Anna gaped at Yggdrasil.

Yuan was right behind where Yggdrasil was, flushed and seething angry.

"I'm just a pawn, huh?" he muttered. Kratos nearly laughed with relief.

"Yuan, you were on our side?" Kratos asked. Yuan made a small smile.

"I think the bump that Anna gave me straightened me out," he replied, and laughed with Anna. Kratos just smiled, but was concerned for Yggdrasil.

"What did you do to Yggdrasil?" Kratos asked, approaching the cuxis leader.

"Unconscious, I knew I wouldn't be able to kill him with one blow. C'mon, we should get going. The angels might actually grow wits and find out we just knocked the leader unconscious," Yuan beckoned, and entered the warp pad. Kratos looked at Anna quickly with relief that they still had they're friend with them.

"Thanks for coming to save me," she said, hugging him quickly, and then going through the warp pad. Kratos smiled contently thankful for the success of the rescue. He headed to the warp pad, but then was suddenly trapped by a magic barrier. Kratos, shocked turned around to see Yggdrasil, up and filled with rage.

"You're not leaving!" Yggdrasil exclaimed. The insanity of his eyes scared Kratos as he approached. "You are MINE!"

-.-.-.-.-

Yuan and Anna made it to the bottom of the Tower of Salvation through the warp system. After a moment of fresh air, Anna and Yuan began to wonder where Kratos had gone.

"Where is he?" Yuan asked, turning his head back to the Tower of Salvation.

"I'm not sure. The last I saw of him was when he was heading towards the warp pad," Anna replied, concern beginning to creep up to her. "Should we wait?" Yuan considered the question, then shook his head.

"If Yggdrasil caught him, we shouldn't just be waiting around for him. C'mon, Anna," Yuan said and entered back into the tower with Anna right behind.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: Sorry, buds. Want to leave it at there.

Readers: Awwwww!

Kratos: Why am I always the victim of a crazy person?

Mr.Who2123: I don't know, maybe because it's FUN!

Kratos: Uh-oh. Mr.Who2123 is in crazy mode…

Mr.Who2123: Must…shoot…SOMETHING!

Kratos: (Gulp) That'll probably be me. Review please, because if you do, you save me from one day of torture!

Mr.Who2123: SSHHHOOOTTT!!


	27. Escape Predicted All Along

Mr.Who2123: I've been madly obsessed with Final Fantasy 3, so I'll have my awesome Job Level 99 Red Mage Ingus do the Disclaimers.

Awesome Job Level 99 Red Mage Ingus: Mr.Who2123 doesn't own Tales of Symphonia, because if she did, her name would be famous by now.

Mr.Who2123: Not that I'm not famous on am I?

Kratos: Let's start…

-.-.-.-.-

The cell was black, confined, and smelly. It's stone walls were so thick that nothing could get in…or out for that matter. There was little room at all. One could sit or stand, but was not long enough to stretch legs or lay down. Kratos, one of the very ultimate beings, was stuck in this cell, immobilized from the small space that the cell offered.

His hands were supporting his face as he sat down on the very thing bench provided for the cell. His wound had opened and blood once again stained his clothes, but it didn't matter to him. A large cut on his shoulder from a blade of light stretched all the way to his chest, dying his clothes red. His leg was broken and a small section of bone had cracked and stuck out from his bleeding leg.

The stink of blood and death surrounded Kratos as he sat there, not knowing if he was dying, or he was just miserable. Pain filled every nerve of his body as he sat, recuperating from the horrific event. Kratos lifted his shaggy head and stared at a stone black brick in front of him.

"Anna," was the word he whispered before dropping his head back down into his hands, as if his head was too heavy to lift.

-.-.-.-.-

_"Yggdrasil, let me go!" Kratos demanded, struggling in the barrier. Yggdrasil just approached him with intense rage still upon his face._

_"Let you go? You want me to let you GO? I'll never do that! Why don't I show you what I do to traitors, instead?" Yggdrasil screamed. He released the barrier on Kratos and grabbed his former companion by the shirt with one hand. Kratos grasped Yggdrasil's hand and tried to break free, but the hand seemed to be glued to the shirt. _

_With his free hand, Yggdrasil used his power to form a blade of light, deadly to the touch. It shone brightly, as white as snow, and was filled with all the rage he had. _

_"This is for betraying me!" Yggdrasil yelled, slicing Kratos from shoulder to his side. Kratos yelled in pain, and Yggdrasil laughed at him. It was definitely an insane sight, watching a madman laugh at his best friend. Yggdrasil then dropped Kratos to the floor as the captive tried to get away, but Yggdrasil had not finished._

_With all his power, Yggdrasil sent a burst of magic at Kratos' leg, nearly shattering the bone in Kratos' femur. The seraphim screamed, but only momentarily, as he fell unconscious._

-.-.-.-.-

Yuan and Anna ran up the half broken steps through Derris Kharlan, hurrying to the main hall where Kratos was held.

"Do you think Kratos is dead?" Anna asked dreadfully, running as fast as her legs could muster. Yuan glanced at her quickly before looking back ahead.

"Even if Kratos had killed Martel, yggdrasil wouldn't dare kill Kratos," Yuan replied reassuringly, taking a left towards a warp pad not far ahead. "Kratos is the source of all Yggdrasil's power."

"He is?" she asked, starting to slow down as they approached the warp pad.

"He is the pact between Origin and Yggdrasil, connected by Kratos' life. So, if Kratos dies, then Yggdrasil will have no more power over the Eternal Sword," Yuan explained. They both entered the warp pad.

The main hall was empty except for a few angels on their daily patrol. Yuan found it queer to see such normal activity, but he and Anna sneaked by to look for Kratos.

"He will probably be in the black cells a couple floors above," Yuan said and fled up a flight of stairs with Anna following diligently behind. Anna had never seen so many flights of stairs before. Each time was like going up another mountain, except there were guards to dodge and traps to avoid, making it seem twice as hard as climbing any mountain.

The two finally made it to the top, Anna breathing hard and Yuan barely exhausted at all.

"Stay quiet," he whispered and gently opened a hidden door among the stone wall. Anna followed quickly. Inside was dark, the only light a torch in the wall next to Anna. She took it out of the sconce and held it up, flashing it at any strange movement as Yuan led her down carefully.

The stairs were stone, unlike the carpeted flights out of the room, and their steps rang throughout the whole room, making a louder sound than normal. Each step echoed back at the two companions as they made it to the ground floor; Yuan checking the doors and Anna analyzing the strange room.

Suddenly, Yuan stopped, and Anna, focused on some blood on the wall, bumped into him and yelped, the noise echoing ten times louder than the noise she made. She regained her footing and covered her mouth as quickly as she could, her eyes filled with fear. Yuan glared for a moment before dropping to one knee and unlocking a door that opened from the floor.

Anna dropped to a knee as well and watched Yuan pick the lock skillfully until it fell off the knob of the door, surprisingly making little noise. Yuan grabbed the door with both hands and threw it open, the door banging against the floor. Anna winced at the noise, but Yuan just jumped inside, and Anna reluctantly followed.

The steps that led further down were so thin that they could only fit one person at a time. Yuan led, while Anna followed, watching her footing as they went. They finally made it to the ground floor after awhile and Yuan walked along a wall, feeling the plaster that held the black stone together. He stopped at one particular stone that wasn't cut cleanly, pried it open to reveal a knob.

Yuan stepped away from the knob and nodded to Anna. She hesitantly placed a hand on the knob, half excited, half scared for Kratos. Closing her eyes tightly, Anna opened the door, and Kratos was sitting there, unmoving and bloody. His leg was twisted and a cut ripped his shirt all the way to his side.

Anna gasped and hugged Kratos, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Kratos," she whispered and held onto him tightly. Yuan bowed his head in respect, letting Anna have her reunion with her love. The sound of a step, though, grabbed his attention, and what Yuan saw suddenly made him filled with haste.

"Anna, we have to go," he hissed. He nodded his head to the side, and Anna heard a step. She gasped and let go of Kratos, desperately scared. Yuan lifted Kratos and placed him gently on his shoulder and grabbed Anna around the waist with the other.

"What are you-," she hissed at him through clenched teeth. Yuan ignored it and released his pink wings. He quickly flapped them and started flying upwards to the black stone ceiling above them.

"Are trying to kill us?" Anna said, no longer whispering. Yuan continued to ignore her as he sped up to the high ceiling. It was coming closer and closer. Anna shielded her face at the last moment, but did not feel a crash at all. Instead, they were on the surface of Sylverant, in the fresh open air.

Anna, exasperated, fell to the floor, dazed. She saw Yuan walk up next to her, looming high over her. He was smiling, but he was exhausted himself, from the look in his azure eyes.

"What just happened?" she asked through gasps of breath. Yuan chuckled lightly.

"There is a warp pad on the ceiling of the cell," he replied humorously. Anna gaped at him.

"Why would someone do that?" she asked, still confused.

"Let's say that I've been plotting against Yggdrasil for awhile," he answered, and then walked away. That reminded Anna of Kratos. _Is he okay?_

-.-.-.-.-

Noishe left the group after Anna and Yuan had disappeared, which was normal to happen, for an Arshis isn't someone that is dependent, in fact, they like to do everything on their own. The protozoan was padding through the Plains of the Meltokio Continent, receiving some crazy looks from travelers or merchants that happened to be close.

One of these passer-bys was a mercenary, with a long sword sheathed on his back. A small, yet exquisite breastplate covered his chest with matching greaves and boots. One thick strand of hair covered his right eye and the rest merely his forehead. The strange thing, though, was that a wolf, about the size of an elk, followed him; snow white except for the strange blue feathery marking on his chest and snout. A cruxis crystal lay nestled in the middle of the marking on his chest, and onother cruxis crystal on the mercenary's left hand.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: Mwahahahahahahahahaha! My character from Skyhawk's Prequel of a Restoration is making an appearance in my story!

Kratos: I guess it's not hard to know who he is if read Prequel of a Restoration.

Mr.Who2123: Well, anyways, you should review because it's nice, so review please!


	28. Suspicious Stranger

Mr.Who2123: This will probably be one of the last chapters, so let's fill it with stuff!

Kratos: It's a shame you're leaving. I like this story…kind of.

Mr.Who2123: Hehe, you can't hide it!

Kratos: I'll do the disclaimers if you shut up…

Mr.Who2123: Fine

Kratos: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but someday, she will be famous…what? I'm just reading the script…

Mr.Who2123: Let's find out who that guy is! Though I'm sure most of you know. By the way, the beginning is just a quick summary…I didn't want to deal with the "are you okay?" asked Yuan. "I'm okay," replied Anna. "Are you sure?" asked Yuan again. Yeah…let's start.

-.-.-.-.-

He didn't wake the first or second day. Only on the third day did the solemn seraphim stir in the thick blanket which covered most of his bandaged body. Anna had diligently been watching him the whole time after they had escaped from Yggdrasil's clutches. There were constant angels around the invisible Tower of Salvation, watching for the escapees.

On the first day, Yuan had taken watch, and a whole battalion of angels had found the three. Yuan warned Anna quickly enough to be able to fight without any distractions. Yuan was able to kill them with his Indignation, a powerful strike of thunder mana, and save Anna and Kratos.

The second day, there was less luck. Anna was the first to notice some scouts, and began to run away to tell Yuan. The angel caught her and chased her. She tried to maneuver away from a sword slice, but the blade caught her shoulder. Yuan easily struck the angel in its glory of hit. Kratos' condition was stationary throughout the first two days, he caught a fever, and his body was seething hot. His breathing was not stable, but he was not in a critical state.

Anna's wound was treated with a liniment that Yuan found in Kratos' pack, and the wound began to heal, leaving a dark mark on her shoulder. It still constantly pained her; there was nothing she could do about that. The blade which had cut her was mana fused, and dark mana had been inserted into her body upon contact. The mana is dispersed in about a week, but it caused constant pain.

Kratos' eyes fluttered and slowly opened to take in the sights around him after three days of little consciousness. His lips moved slowly as if to speak, but not a word or sound passed through them. Anna was watching him with weary eyes, and when she saw his movement, all her weariness left her in an instant.

"Yuan, he's awake! He's awake!" she exclaimed, momentarily glancing at Yuan who was walking towards them. Kratos heard Anna and struggled a smile; at least she was safe.

"Kratos are you alright?" Anna asked, bending over him. His eyes met hers and they locked. Anna could almost feel the pain Kratos was in by the ache in his dark eyes.

"Don't bug him too much. He needs his rest," Yuan said. Kratos suddenly remembered Yuan in Derris Kharlan; a traitor. His face twisted in anger and pain as he awkwardly lifted his head and shoulders. Anna gasped and supported him instantly so Kratos could see his surroundings.

"Where," Kratos gasped through his pain. Anna shifted her weight to support her love in a more steady position and then finally answered.

"We are close to Mizuho, Kratos. Don't worry, were far from the tower," she explained patiently. Kratos breathed loudly in his pain and closed his eyes. Anna looked at him, wondering if he fell asleep.

"Yuan's a…traitor. Why is…he …here?" Kratos suddenly asked again, surprising Anna. Anna looked at Yuan, then at her hands, then to Kratos.

"He's back. He regrets what he did," Anna explained. She might have said that, but she didn't believe it. Yuan had no reason to go to Yggdrasil, and no reason to come back, and she had suspicions.

"Are you okay, Kratos?" Anna asked. Kratos shook his head, but he smiled. Yuan then knelt down next to his old friend and forced an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I did all of this, Kratos. I just had to see if Yggdrasil really does treat me like a pawn, and he does," he said. Kratos looked at him; his eyes were full of anger and disapproval, but there was a slight understanding in the brown eyes.

"You've been with…him almost…5000 years…and you did…not know?" Kratos replied angrily, but the anger stopped short in his answer with his strength waning. Yuan looked down at his hands and apologized again.

"Anna…are you okay?" Kratos asked, noticing the bandaged shoulder sticking out of her shirt. Anna felt it and winced at the pain, but she nodded.

"How'd you get it?" he asked, and Anna explained all that happened over the last couple of days, and how they were constantly chased. Kratos reached for the bandage on her shoulder and lifted it gently to see the wound. Brown, yellow, and red crusted the shoulder, and black veins pulsed around the wound. Anna winced as Kratos put the bandage back in its rightful spot and looked down at his hands.

"Don't worry, Kratos. It doesn't hurt that bad," she tried to coax, smiling. Kratos nodded without looking back to her and lifted his legs. Using all of his st.rength, Kratos lifted himself up to a sitting position, gasping for breath and sweat beading his forehead.

"We need to go," Kratos started, avoiding contact. "I don't want anyone in danger, especially you." He finally looked up to Anna, who pouted, like she used to when they first met.

"I'm not a little girl. I can defend myself," she replied.

"If you could defend yourself, then how did you get that wound, and so easily?" Kratos recoiled, his anger rising. Yuan stepped between the shocked couple and sighed.

"Kratos, I agree with, but you don't need to place your anger on Anna. So, let's just get going. Anna, pack our things, and Kratos, I can carry you," Yuan said, kneeling in front Kratos. Anna left without a word, and Kratos placed his arms around Yuan's neck and his head against the back of his head. Yuan grabbed Kratos' legs and stood up easily as if there was nothing on his back.

Anna quickly packed, and the three were off without another word to wherever their feet take them.

-.-.-.-.-

Noishe had been following the two strangers without their notice until the sunset. They unpacked their things and began to eat in silence. The wolf seemed to talk whenever he looked at his master, and the mercenary seemed to understand. Noishe slowly prowled closer to see what they were doing.

_This is definitely against my standards. Spying…but those two seem so…different. They even have **cruxis crystals**!_ Noishe thought.

As Noishe was just close enough to see the strangers clearly when, as sudden as thunder, the mercenary pulled out his blade, and held it inches above Noishe's muzzle, threatening to kill.

_Definitely…(gulp)…different, _Noishe thought as he whined, backing away slowly from the blade. The mercenary lifted it slowly, surprised at the intruder.

"Don't worry, Annule. It just looks like a dog…wait a second…," the mercenary peered closer at Noishe. He inspected the strange ears as he felt them and studied the material with his careful eye.

iI wish I could tell you

"You…you're a protozoan aren't you?" he said after he finished inspecting Noishe. "I'm sorry for that earlier, I thought you might be a common thief. I'm Sanaro, and this is my friend Annule." The treatment of Noishe was so suspicious of him that he decided to stick with Sanaro. He looked at Annule. _Hi Annule, _he thought, padding over to the wolf. He sniffed at the wolf, studying its features and looking at the strange wings.

"What's your name, big guy?" Sanaro asked. Noishe crept carefully to Sanaro. The strange kindness pierced him, and he was attracted to him.

_I wish I could tell you my name, but…I'm Noishe,_ he thought, licking Sanaro. He laughed and ruffled the hair on top of Noishe's head.

"I wish you could talk. You seem to look like you want to tell me something. We're actually looking for someone right now, if you're wondering," Sanaro started, reclining his head to the now darkened sky in the forested area. The trees clustered like penguins huddled, looking for warmth, and the scattered everywhere for miles. The city of Sybak lay not too far off, and the darkened trees of the Gaorrachia Forest lay on the opposite side. Stars began to show their first shine and the reds of the sunset turned to the indigos of the dark.

_Yeah I wish I could at least tell you my name. I wonder who you're looking for though,_ Noishe said in his mind. He lay down and placed his square head on his paws, resting.

"We're looking for a man named Kratos," he said, and he sighed. "We've found no trace of him anywhere though." Noishe thrust his head in the air, panicking. He looked at Sanaro with suspicious eyes.

"What's wrong? You look like you know who this Kratos is," he stated, and he settled under a blanket.

-.-.-.-.-

Mr.Who2123: That was mostly a filler, but I like concentrating on my new peeps.

Kratos: Is he evil?

Mr.Who2123: You'll just have to wait for my next update...hehehe

Kratos: Which will be in a year…

Mr.Who2123: Hm? What did you say?

Kratos: …nothing. Nothing.

Mr.Who2123: …


	29. Wild Goose Chase

Mr.Who2123: Well, I'm updating, and it took less than a year to get off my lazy butt! Yay! My goal is to make this chapter as long as I can so that you guys are entertained! (clenches hands and gulps) Good luck to me.

Kratos: She, of course, doesn't own Tales of Symphonia.

Mr.Who2123: Here we go!

* * *

The stars twinkled with bright beauty in the midnight sky. The whole world was drenched in black and a mysterious darkness covered all of it. The black new moon blended into the ink black sky and was invisible to the world. Under the beauty of the night was an open field where the black grass danced under the wind, yet didn't make a sound. Under the black of sky and the lights of the stars were a man and two beasts sleeping soundly, two of them in peaceful respite and the other in fitful sleep. The just awakened and worried Noishe finally opened his dark eyes and looked towards the sleeping forms of Sanaro and Annule. Noishe heaved himself up with slow silence to not wake up his aquaintances, and padded off without a word. 

_I've got to warn Kratos. This Sanaro might be an enemy!_ Noishe thought frantically as he started bounding towards the clearing of the Tower of Salvation.

* * *

Under the same dark sky Kratos and his friends were also resting, encased in their dreams and loathing the moment they wake up to the dangers of their days ahead. In the bleak of night, Kratos' sharpened senses picked the sound of running and painstakingly lifted his head to see the running person. He saw the wing-like ears of Noishe and sighed in relief as he dropped his head back to the floor and closed his eyes. In just moments later, whining sounded from the protozoan, waking up the whole group instead. 

"Aw, Noishe, shut up!" Anna moaned painfully, unsuccessfully throwing a rock at the distressed protozoan. Yuan covered his ears painfully, squinting his eyes shut as to shut out the annoying cries.

"Kratos, make him be quiet!" Yuan and Anna yelled at the same time, covering their ears with their hands. Kratos sighed and blindly held his hand on top of Noishe's back, calming him down instantly. Anna sighed with pleasure as the sound disappeared.

"Noishe, what's wrong?" Kratos asked tiredly as he stretched his arms before wincing at the pain in his body. Yuan stood up and stretched as well before rolling up his blanket. The sun started to rise and dawn had begun to break away from the mysterious depths of the midnight sky. Pale colors rose in the east; reds, yellows, and even some light pinks as the stars slowly disappeared in the growing light.

"That protozoan is just trouble. What's his deal anyways?" Anna asked, following Yuan's example as she folded her blanket and placed it delicately into the bag. Kratos shrugged at her and held his hand up. Yuan grabbed it and pulled Kratos up effortlessly. Kratos wrapped his arm around Yuan's back, leaning on his friend as Anna carried the bag. They started heading south, towards the mine. Noishe recognized the path towards Sanaro and immediately sat on his haunches and howled as loud as he could. Everyone turned to the strange protozoan and began to complain unceasingly with the howling along with it.

"Kratos, can't you just put a muzzle on him?" Anna nearly yelled at Kratos, who winced at all the noise.

"Let me shut him up. One smack on his nose and he won't howl anymore," Yuan suggested, clenching his free hand. Kratos sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

"There's a reason Noishe is howling, so let me try to figure it out," Kratos replied. Noishe, hearing his friend, stopped howling and wagged his furry tail, thrusting dust into the air. Kratos let go of Yuan and gently fell to one knee in front of Noishe, who licked him unmercifully. Kratos flinched a little before smiling and patting Noishe's head, halting the protozoan's act. "Noishe, can you try to tell me what is wrong?" Kratos asked softly. Noishe barked and pointed to the south while growling.

"I don't think he wants us to go in that direction," Yuan said, looking in the same direction as Noishe. Noishe barked happily and bounded towards Yuan, nodding.

"Then what direction should we go?" Anna asked, helping Kratos up. Yuan took hold of Kratos then and sighed.

"I don't know, Anna, but we should try to find a way towards the mines without going in that direction. How about sailing around?" yuan suggested. Noishe instantly agreed and circled around him, barking triumphantly.

"We should go to Sybak then," Kratos said, and pointed Northwest to the city. "It will take a couple days longer, though." But it didn't seem Noishe minded at all.

* * *

Sanaro treaded through the plains with Annule at his side, sometimes chasing after small prey, or growling at passersby, making them speed up to a run to let distance grow between them. Annule had successfully driven a caravan completely around them, filling the large wolf with glee. Sanaro looked down at his friend. 

"Annule, we need to be KIND to others, not scare them away! What if Kratos was on that caravan?" Sanaro lectured. Annule whined a little and hung his tail between his legs. Only moments later, Annule started chasing a rabbit, forgetting the lecture that Sanaro had given to the wolf over and over. Sanaro fumed at the wolf and tried to stay focused on his mission. While traveling, Sanaro came upon an odd group, conversing with the protozoan he had seen the day before. Still yards away, Sanaro hid behind a rare tree and watched as the group headed north, while the protozoan wagged his tail with glee.

"Are one of those Kratos?" Sanaro asked himself softly as he beckoned a chasing Annule to come. Annule ignored the prey and padded to Sanaro who smiled. "I think I found them."

* * *

Kratos, Yuan, Anna, and Noishe walked towards the Goarrochia Forest, only to remember the painful memories of the past. 

"We go through here AGAIN?" Anna and Yuan both muttered loudly in distress, making Kratos smirk.

"Don't worry, it is actually a very short time to Sybak. Don't look so pitiful," Kratos replied to their despair. Anna folded her arms stubbornly and Yuan sighed in resignition.

"Lead the way, almighty Kratos," Anna muttered in a mock tone, making Yuan snigger. Kratos sighed as he pointed to a left path, and they headed into the dark forest. Soon, dead trees, twisted by the darkness, surrounded the group. The trees seem to move in the Goarroochia, and Anna shuddered at the grotesque trees, sometimes envisioning one moving towards her. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered again before sighing. Kratos, noticing her pain, placed a hand on her arm, making her jump. Yuan sniggered, but Anna ad Kratos ignored it as Kratos gave her strength with his small, majestic smile.

"Thanks," Anna whispered before looking ahead at the dirt path that would lead them out of the forest.

* * *

Sanaro watched the entrance of the dark forest with interest, but Annule was more interested in chewing a squirrel than going through a lifeless forest. 

"Should we follow them?" Sanaro asked, but found Annule meters away, raptly bounding after a frightened squirrel. the swordsman folded his arms and tapped his foot as Annule caught sight of his friend's impatience. After one last leap at the squirrel, and missing painfully, Annule dragged himself to Sanaro.

"I asked you if we should follow them," Sanaro repeated, looking towards the forest again. Annule opened his dark blue feathered wings and lifted off of the grassy floor. Sanaro nodded and unfurled his green wings as well and started flying over the Goarrochia. Black blurred under them as Annule enjoyed to the fullest his ability to fly as he sped towards frantic birds, snapping at them as much as he could. Sanaro laughed as he watched the path ahead while speeding as fast as he could to keep up with Annule. The wolf hadn't flown for a long time and pure glee took over Annule as he humored himself any way he could to enjoy his flight.

"They took the left path, so let's head for Sybak," Sanaro yelled over the flurry of winds. Annule merely looked back as a sign of understanding before going after birds again. Sanaro sighed with a smile. _Will that wolf ever learn?_ he thought humorously.

* * *

Before the day could even getr close to sunset, the black trees lightened to green and the path opened up to a large clearing, with Sybak not far at all. Anna laughed as she jumped in the air before looking back to see the others. Noishe barked and circled around Anna who scratched him playfully behind the ears. 

"We made it!" Anna announced. Yuan put his arm in the air and smiled while Kratos did only the latter, leaning completely on Yuan.

"I hate this wound," Kratos muttered under his breath, though not showing his discomfort to Anna.

"I think we can make it to Sybak for a warm bed if we hurry," Yuan remarked, and Anna bounded off, laughing as Noishe followed, accidentally tripping himself and her in his glee. His legs crossed and he moved forward, falling down and knocking Anna down with him to the floor. The two tumbled in the grass, raising dust everywhere, and causing laughter from even Kratos, even if it was a small chuckle.

"Those two," Yuan sttarted in his chuckling, helping Kratos into a better position. "Well, Kratos, just a little longer and you can rest." Kratos nodded in relief and they caught up with the helplessly laughing couple. Anna grabbed onto Noishe and pulled herself up with a gigantic smile implanted on her face, not soon to be taken off.

"Noishe, you big dumby1" Anna mocked, rubbing Noishe's head and continuing towards Sybak with Noishe at her side and the two seraphim following close behind.

* * *

Sanaro and Annule made it to Sybak much quicker than Kratos, because of their flying ability. Sanaro checked in a room for Annule and himself, and waited for the mysterious group to arrive. Annule laid down in boredom, for no squirrels scurried anywhere in the city. Sanaro tried to make him happy with a couple rubs on his head, but Annule ignored it, secretly knowing what his friend would do next. Sanaro sighed in defeat when his sixth tickle brought no reaction. 

"Fine, you can go outside, Annule. Just don't cause too much ruckus," the swordsman muttered. Annule, not surprised at the remark, bounded off towards the exit of the city. _I can't believe I always lose at that,_ he muttered angrily as he noticed in the corner of his eye, Annule chasing a rabbit. Sanaro helplessly let out a chuckle.

* * *

Sunset had come the moment Kratos made it into Sybak. The city seemed to turn orangish to match the hue of the sky. He was immensly relieved at the sight of the inn, and beckoned Yuan to hurry. Noishe, padding alongside Anna, noticed Sanaro leaning against a wall with his arms folded and eyes closed.

_What?? How'd he get here??_ Noishe thought as he lowered his head and tried to hide behind Anna, hoping Sanaro would keep his eyes closed. The group unknowingly dodged Sanaro and reserved two rooms; one for Anna and Noishe, the other for Kratos and Yuan. Thankful for the respite, Kratos immediately headed for bed, hoping for a peaceful and long sleep.

_After all,_ Kratos thought, being helped helped under the blankets,_ it will probably be a long day tomorrow._

_

* * *

_

Sanaro watched for the group the whole night, but there was no sight of them. Annule was snoring by his friend, tired from the chasing, and Sanaro sat by the wolf, watching the starlit sky.

"We'll find him. that's a promise," he said.

* * *

Mr.Who2123: (Gasp) That was so hard! Well, I hope you like it. I am turnning this computer off!

Kratos: Review.

Mr.Who2123: Yes, review!


	30. A Surprising Battle

Mr.Who2123: Finally got off my lazy bum to get another chapter up.

Kratos: Finally…you're such a flake.

Mr.Who2123: Hey! I can kill you off in my story. As well as your precious Anna… (puts fingers over laptop dangerously)

Kratos: Fine, I take it back.

Mr.Who2123: (Shrug) I don't think I could kill you anyways.

Kratos: So why'd you threaten me in the first place?

Mr.Who2123: Because it's fun…

Kratos: O-kay….let's begin.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Kratos was fast asleep within the minute he laid down on the soft bed. Yuan watched his friend with a bemused grin. It was always hard for him to sleep, even before he got his Cruxis Crystal. Changing his focus to trying to sleep, Yuan turned his head to the ceiling and closed his eyes. He waited, and waited…and waited.

_Okay…that's not working. _He thought. Next, Yuan tried counting sheep. _One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…_ as Yuan was about to say ten, a loud crash came from Kratos' bed. Yuan sat up, looking to find the disturbance. He noticed Kratos' sword, still buckled onto his belt, sticking out of the bed. Yuan also noticed a shattered pot on the floor.

_Must of moved and the sword knocked it down,_ he thought, and laid back down. _It also looks like Kratos didn't even hear it, too. Let's count sheep again. One…two…three…four…five…six…seven…eight…nine…_ as Yuan was about to count the last of the sheep, something clattered on the floor…again! Yuan sat up, and immediately noticed the Flamberge glowing on the floor.

_Looks like his sword fell this time. Let me try counting one more time. _Yuan muttered in his head, clenching his fists irritably. _One…two…three…four…_

"Yuan, wake up!!" Anna called from the door. Yuan sat up, clenching his teeth.

"Anna! I was trying to count the sheep!! I kept trying to reach ten, but Kratos' sword wouldn't let me!!! And then you had to come in and ruin it!!!" Yuan yelled madly. Anna blinked at Yuan, then to Kratos' blade, then back at Yuan.

"Uh, Yuan are you alright?" she asked, raising a brow.

"Of course I am fine! Do I look ill to you?" Yuan snapped back. _How'd he get so grumpy?_ Anna thought. Yuan then sighed.

"So, why'd you come in?" he asked, considerably calmer than before.

"Oh yeah, Noishe is gone!" she replied. Yuan nodded and walked over to Kratos, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. The angel stirred and looked up at Yuan.

"What is it?" he asked, trying his best to sit up.

"Noishe is gone, Kratos!" she yelled, but Kratos just fell back into his pillow.

"Noishe is fine. He leaves all the time," Kratos replied sleepily, and fell back into slumber in moments. Yuan nodded in agreement to Kratos.

"Noishe is independent. He's not like a dog-"

"HOOWWLLLLL!!!!" Noishe cried. Kratos sat up immediately.

"Noishe sounds like he is in trouble. Let's go!" Kratos yelled, and Yuan picked him up. Anna led the way out, running outside. Noishe howled again. All of their fear steepened as the cry hung on for a couple moments, then faded into the black of night.

"That way," Kratos said, pointing to the eastern exit of the city. The three ran off into the open field surrounding Sybak and waited for another cry as they did. Noishe howled again, this time fiercer and longer, and everyone raced to the direction, hearts pounding.

The group entered a more forested area with a worn dirt trail leading them through it. Anna quickened her pace when she saw a trace of red on one of the trees.

_I hope Noishe is alright,_ she wondered, tears gathering in her green eyes. She quickly blinked them away, however. _I have to be strong for Kratos. _Upon entering a clearing, the group found blood all over the grassy floor, and Noishe standing there. The protozoan seemed a completely different creature as it growled, baring its fangs, and was covered with red.

"Noishe!" Anna cried, and Noishe perked its head up, looking at Anna. It whined happily and raced towards them, licking and whining the whole time.

"I've got you now, Kratos!" a voice called from their right. Pronyma appeared, smirking evilly. She was also covered in blood; it looked like she and Noishe fought in the clearing. "I brought your stupid dog here to make him cry. I knew you'd come after it, just like I planned." Yuan let Kratos down carefully and pulled out his two sided axe.

"You're going to have to kill me first, Pronyma. Kratos is fighting to save both worlds, but Mithos is just being selfish, and is just trying to get Martel back. He doesn't care about the worlds, the Desians, or you, either," Yuan replied dangerously, stepping out into the clearing. Pronyma let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Of course that's not true, Yuan! He cares about everyone! That's why he split the world in the first place!" she exclaimed. "Well, enough chitchat, give me Kratos or I will kill you without hesitation." Yuan shook his head firmly.

"Fine, prepare to die," she yelled, and started up a spell. "Dark Sphere!" she yelled, and, as the spell implied, a black sphere appeared around Yuan and burst with him inside. However, he kept charging at the Desian leader and slashed at her. However, she jumped away and used Agarazium. Light rings burst up from Yuan's feet, thrusting him into the air.

_Darn, I've underestimated her a lot. Better get my act together, _he thought, flipping himself upright while he was still in the air. Yuan then charged a spell himself.

"Thunder Blade!" he yelled, and purple sword of mana crashed onto Pronyma, shocking her until she fell to one night. Yuan then spun his blade and sliced deep in her stomach, making her fall to the ground. The thunder master smiled and wiped some dirt off of his face.

Yuan's victory was short lived, however, and was slammed to the ground by sheer power. He looked up weakly to see Pronyma standing over him with a shaking fist.

"I thought I killed you!" he yelled, and rolled away from another Agarazium.

"You can't kill me so easily, fool!" she yelled, and then charged up another spell. "Acid Rain!" Yuan felt warm liquid fall down his face. _Acid Rain lowers defense and attack. This is going to be hard,_ he muttered in his thoughts and charged at Pronyma while she finished her Acid Rain spell. He jumped high in the air and front flipped over Pronyma, leaving her dumbstruck. Yuan then charged his double sided blade with thunder and sent it deep in her back. It didn't do so much damage, however, and Pronyma whirled on him.

"Leonazium!" she screamed, and Yuan was sprawled onto the floor. The acid made his wound three times deeper than normal, and he clutched his stomach in pain. He heard Pronyma step towards him, and Yuan shut his eyes tightly, preparing for the finishing blow.

"I won't let you die!" a voice called from afar. "Healing Wind!" The move made Pronyma jump away in shock, and Yuan's wounds began to heal themselves. The angel felt his power returning, and stood up weakly. Yuan spotted Kratos hidden in the forest with his hand outstretched.

"Thanks," he said softly, and picked up his weapon. "This is it, Pronyma." Yuan twirled his gigantic blade as a purple magic circle appeared at his feet. The Desian leader noticed the move quickly and began backing away.

"Too late, Pronyma! Indignation!" he yelled, and the magic circle glowed below him.

She found herself cringing as a giant purple dome covered her. The edges began to spark, and thunder crashed all around her. Then, it all stopped and gathered at the top of the dome. The light grew brighter and brighter until it was white with power. Body shaking, eyes widening, Pronyma found herself consumed by a giant bolt of mana that seemed to tear apart her body until she fell to the floor, gasping for air.

Yuan smirked and walked to Kratos, giving him a thumbs up. Kratos smiled back, and was lifted by his partner.

"Yuan, that was amazing! I thought for sure you were done for when you fell, but you came right back and blew her up with…with…that giant dome move!" she exclaimed shaking with excitement.

"It's not called the giant dome move, it's called indignation," he replied, though he still smiled at the nickname.

"Oh, okay. You were great!" she said, still giddy. Yuan scratched his head.

"Not really," he muttered humbly.

"Don't be too modest, Yuan," Kratos advised, and smiled. Noishe barked in agreement.

"Well, I'm just glad it's over. That acid rain hit me hard," Yuan said, sighing slightly.

"It's…not…over…yet!" a voice warned behind. Pronyma limped behind them, red with rage and hate. Yuan gaped at Pronyma, dumbfounded.

"How did you survive that?" he asked angrily, reaching for his blade.

"BLOODY LANCE!!!" she screamed, ignoring poor Yuan's question. A giant square appeared below the whole group, Anna and Noishe included. The square below was a mix of black and red, and glowed with intensified energy. Spears appeared all around them, waiting for Pronyma's signal to attack. The weapons were all drenched with red liquid, and were pointed straight at them with a dangerous sharp tip. Pronyma raised a bloody hand, and the weapons moved slightly closer.

"When I drop my hand, you will experience the power of my magic!" she screamed. Anna trembled and ran to Kratos and Yuan for comfort. Kratos wrapped an arm around her and held her close.

"It will be alright. I promise," he said. Anna nodded, and buried her face in his chest, trembling slightly less. Kratos held her closer when the Desian leader let her hand fall to her side, and Anna shook immensely. The spears darted straight for the group, as if they were anxious to shed even more blood. Kratos saw them coming for him, and closed his eyes, bracing for the blow. He waited…but nothing hit him. Kratos opened his eyes to see himself out of the attack with everyone else. He also noticed a man with a broadsword in his hand. Kratos turned to Yuan.

"What just happened?" he asked. Yuan just shrugged, also confused. The man turned to the group.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked, sheathing his blade. Everyone nodded with puzzled expressions.

"Er, what just happened?" Anna asked. The man smiled. His blonde hair was messy and partially covered one of his eyes much like Kratos'.

"I just saved your lives," he replied with an amused smile.

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Mr.Who2123: I know, I'm evil, but I'm stopping there.

Fans: Awwwww!!! You won't update in awhile, though!

Mr.Who2123: If you were real fans, you would wait forever.

Fans: Alright…(they leave)

Yuan: I was so cool! Did you see me pwn Pronyma?

Kratos: …Pwn? What's that?

Mr.Who2123: Only the coolest nerd language ever!

Kratos: So Yuan is a nerd?

Yuan: (With a World of warcraft shirt and super high shorts on.) Pfff, c'mon, do I look like a nerd to you?

Kratos and Mr.Who2123: …Maybe.


	31. A New Companion

Mr.Who2123: I just had an awesome 20 minutes of looking at my old disclaimers from all my stories…LOL sometimes I have NO idea why I wrote some of them. One was…

'Chuck Norris: And remember kids, if any of you have broccoli that you don't wasn't to eat, just shove it down your pants.'

Kratos: 0.0 YOU wrote THAT?!?!? (Snickers)

Mr.Who2123: Seriously, though, just reading my disclaimers from any story will cheer you up a lot!!

Kratos: (On a computer and snickering.)

Lloyd: Hey, Dad, what are you reading? (Reads some Disclaimers) …….HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

Mr.Who2123: See? They are funny! Anyways, I don't own anything related to ToS besides my story plot.

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The group didn't have time to exchange formalities. Pronyma was making sure of that.

"Agarazium! Leonazium!!" she screeched at as many people as she could. The mysterious man and Yuan were fighting while Anna hid Kratos and herself.

"You'd think that she'd be tired by now, but I guess not," the man said out loud, making Yuan smirk at the comment.

"Seriously," was the reply. The man thrust his sword at Pronyma, who blocked it by sending out a Leonazium. The blade and spell collided with a blast, and the man was sent back a few feet.

While distracted with the one man, Yuan swung his double sided blade straight into Pronyma, knocking her flat.

"Ahhh!!!! Lord…Yggdrasil!! I must return to you!" she screeched, and disappeared. Yuan and the man looked at the puddle of blood where Pronyma just was.

"That was kind of…abrupt," the man commented, sheathing his sword. "Well, I guess I haven't introduced myself. I'm Sanaro." Sanaro stretched his arm towards Yuan, who happily shook it.

"I'm Yuan, and this is Anna and Kratos," Yuan replied, pointing with his hand to each person. Sanaro widened his eyes slightly at Kratos' name.

"Kratos? He's here! Finally!!" he exclaimed happily. "I've been looking everywhere for you, Kratos!" Sanaro then noticed Noishe behind a tree, and smiled even wider.

"The protozoan! So he's with you too!" Sanaro walked over to Noishe and gave him a couple long, caring rubs on the back. The protozoan whined in content, his tongue hanging to the side of his mouth.

"You were looking for Kratos?" Anna asked, emerging from the safety of the trees. Yuan drew his blade and threateningly pointed it at the one who just saved their lives.

"What business do you have with Kratos?" he asked, the blade almost touching Sanaro's neck. He was still facing Noishe, which made him facing away from Yuan. An odd silence passed when Yuan drew his blade.

"Yuan, stop, or he would have already attacked us," Kratos explained. He was sitting back against a tree, watching the two men. "Sanaro, what do you want with me?" The said man turned to Kratos and walked towards him. Yuan put away his blade, trusting his long time friend. Sanaro sat down next to the one he had been looking for so long a time.

"Kratos, I have come here to join you," he said, his eyes focused on Kratos. The Seraphim was taken aback, and hesitated to answer.

"Only if you tell me everything…about who you are, how you know me, and how you have a cruxis crystal," Kratos replied. Sanaro nodded, and leaned back against the tree, as if falling into a memory that was long gone.

"I was born over 4,000 years ago, just like you and Yuan. I was a young knight, serving my home kingdom, and eventually left for the Kharlan War when it occurred. I was pretty green, I was only in my early twenties'. Anyways, during the war, I was wounded, and had to drag myself to the closest village, which was Heimdall. The elder allowed the elves to take me in, seeing as I was going to die, and found out I had a huge blood loss," Sanaro began. By now, everyone was sitting around him in a circle, listening raptly.

"Anyways, one elf decided to transfuse some of his blood to save my life. Luckily, it worked, and now, I have a bit of elfin blood in me. It allows me to use some more simple spells, but nonetheless, it's useful. When the war was coming to a close, I met Mithos, who was, bath then, a smart and powerful leader. I joined your army to end the war, but I'm pretty sure none of you noticed me. You had thousands at your command, and I was one of those thousands. In the last few, yet big battles, I had gotten wounded, and Mithos tended to me personally. After I got wounded again in the same battle, Mithos found me again, and pulled me aside. I'll never forget what he told me," Sanaro explained. He took a slight pause, and his eyes glossed over slightly as he recalled the moment.

"'Your life is too valuable to be risked so much. I want you to be my personal envoy and spy.' Of course, I was overjoyed. A commander letting me become someone so special. I became a master of hiding and sneaking in the shadows. I obtained information, exchanged precious items with him and other people, and even did assassinations. I didn't even think about it either. I just did his bidding, glad to please him. I guess it was because he saved me twice, and led me to a good life. As I served Mithos, I trained in swordplay, and became a much more powerful warrior than the green boy I was during the war. As time passed by, I earned a cruxis crystal, and found Annule in the Torent Forst during a mission." As if on cue, the large wolf made his appearance. It jumped through bushes, and landed in the middle of the circle, panting slightly.

"This is Annule, my partner. I saved his when it was a puppy, and followed me ever since," Sanaro said, stroking the wolf. It walked away from the group, and towards Noishe, who was by himself, sleeping. The wolf licked Noishe's green and white head, waking it up. Eventually, the two ended up playing together, barking and whining together.

"Where was I…oh yeah, after I got Annule. After I saved it, Mithos allowed it to be my partner, saying it was a smart wolf," Sanaro said, and Annule barked happily in response to the 'smart wolf' comment. "I didn't know about the evil Mithos was truly causing until he allowed me to take care of one Chosen of Regeneration. I'm pretty sure that's when Mithos said you could have vacation." Kratos and Yuan looked at each other, nodding in remembrance.

"I have a question. How come Mithos didn't tell us about you?" Yuan asked, still slightly suspicious.

"He probably wanted to keep one person completely secret in case of corruption. Well, during the journey, I saw the Desians, the lies, and the evil caused by his plans. And like you, I wanted to end it. So here I am, asking to aid you in the journey," Sanaro ended. It was noon by the time he finished, and everyone accepted the story.

"How about some lunch?" Anna suddenly suggested. Everyone immediately agreed, and headed for Sybak.

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"Hey, I've heard that the school building has a good café in it!" Sanaro exclaimed, pointing to the large building located in the center of the city. With no other place to really choose from, the rest agreed, and entered the building. The two animals, however, decided to catch their own dinner, and ran off into the woods not far from the city.

Once inside, the group went into the door to the farthest right, and sat down together.

"So we're headed for the Toize Mine, right?" Sanaro said, leaning back in his chair, and got a couple nods in return.

"Oh yeah, Kratos, while I was in Mithos' castle…when I betrayed you, I really did it to get something important. Look," Yuan said, and pulled out a jar from his pack. Kratos' eyes widened at the indigo substance inside.

"Aionis," he muttered, slowly taking the jar. "Thank you, Yuan." The Seraphim quickly put it into his pack with the sacred wood.

Suddenly, a waitress came, asking the group for their food.

"Welcome! What can I get you?" she asked cheerily. She had large round glasses, and her blonde hair was in pigtails. She wore the usual school attire, which was a white shirt under a vest, and a long blue skirt.

"I'll have smoked salmon with tomato risotto," Sanaro ordered first, handing back the menu. Kratos gagged internally at the thought of tomatoes.

"I'll have pasta with tomato sauce," Anna said next, also giving her menu to the waitress. Kratos gagged internally even more.

"I'll have fried shrimp," Yuan ordered. Kratos sighed. _At least no tomatoes,_ he thought. Just being surrounded by the fruit just sends him chills. "Oh, and can I have ketchup with it?" Kratos' spirits completely broke, and he let his head fall in disappointment and disbelief.

"Could I have chicken Panini, with no tomatoes, please," Kratos ordered last, dully handing the last menu to her.

"Alright, I'll be back in just a minute!" she replied with excessive enthusiasm, and walked off. Just like the waitress said, there was food in only a few minutes, and everyone began eating happily…except Kratos. He eyed the tomato risotto, the pasta, and the small bowl of ketchup right next to Yuan.

"Kratos? What's wrong?" Anna asked from across the table. He snapped back into reality and nodded slowly.

"I'm alright," he assured, and took a bite out of his sandwich. It has thin slices of chicken in it, and some cheese as well. It tasted even better because the cheese was melted in the toasted bread.

Eventually, Kratos forgot about the tomatoes all around him, until everyone was finished. The whole group was satisfied, even Kratos, and they stood up to leave. Yuan grabbed some money in his pocket, and placed it on the table. The coins rang loudly against the wood, resonating across the room.

As everyone began o leave, Anna accidentally knocked the small bowl of ketchup right into Kratos' back which was right in front of her. The condiment spread all over his outfit, and the Seraphim froze in disgust.

"What is that," Kratos asked through clenched teeth. Anna smiled apologetically, and wiped the majority of it off.

"It's okay, Kratos. Just a little ketchup…," when she said ketchup, Kratos jumped in even more disgust, and stalked out of the café quickly. Sanaro eyed where the mercenary just was.

"What's his problem? And why'd he leave us?" he asked, not enlightened of Kratos' biggest fear and dislike; tomatoes.

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Mr.Who2123: Whoo! There you go everyone, the story of Sanaro!

Kratos: Tomatoes on my back!! EWWWW!!!

Mr.Who2123: cough(sissy)cough Anyways, please review!


	32. Evolving Exsphere

Mr.Who2123: I just had my laptop fixed, and it works like I just bought a brand new one… (drools) I LOVE IT!!!

Kratos: And I assume that means more chapters?

Mr.Who2123: Duh.

Fans: YAY!!

Mr.Who2123: Let's summon someone just for the heck of it…I summon Sanaro!!

Sanaro: Yo! Mr.Who2123 does not own anything related to Tales of Symphonia, but if she did…she would make me in it. Sweet!

Mr.Who2123: Yeah! Let's begin!

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The group, now with the two new members, was headed back down to the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. Kratos could now walk on his own, but he was slightly slower than everyone else, but the others didn't mind his handicap, knowing that the Seraphim would do the same for any of them. They had risen and left Sybak before sunrise, and now, after a few minutes of walking, the sky was turning to a light blue of dawn. The air was cool and refreshing, and the six members enjoyed the beautiful scenery.

Yuan turned back to his fellow Seraphim, watching with a smile at the quick recovery. It would normally take months for wounds like that to heal, but it has only been a week.

"Hey Kratos, look at your list so you know what you need," the blue haired man suggested, looking back to the road. Kratos curtly nodded and pulled out the sheet from his pack, stopping. Anna looked over from behind his shoulder to look at the list.

"We need a diamond as the jewel for the ring, and white gold to craft the actual ring part," Kratos noted, smirking slightly. "We have the Aionis and Sacred Wood already."

"So we have two of the four parts. Maybe we can find all of the rest in the Toize Valley Mine," Sanaro added as well. His dangling hand suddenly was lifted from Annule putting his nose under it. Sanaro complied with the wolf's silent request and stroked its head. Kratos promptly put away the list, and they kept going, with the Bridge in sight.

There were a few minutes of silence, almost to the point of being awkward, as they made it to the bridge, and walked down its extremely long pathway. A question came into Anna's head, and ended the silence.

"Hey, Sanaro, you know how you said you were super sneaky and stuff?" she blurted, and the said man nodded, not knowing where this would go. "So, can you take this apple from me without knowing?" The brunette woman grabbed an apple from her pack and lifted it for everyone to see.

"Uh, I guess I could…but why?" Sanaro asked, shrugging.

"I just want to see if you _can _do it…but it sounds like you're too wimpy," Anna mocked, grinning.

"I'm too wimpy huh," Sanaro said back, shaking his head with a small smile himself. Anna's smirk was suddenly wiped off when Sanaro lithely moved behind her at an incredible pace and grabbed the apple from her stunned hands. The whole ordeal took less than one second, as Anna could barely see Sanaro take the fruit from her. Yuan whistled in amazement and Kratos raised his brows very slightly.

Sanaro looked back at everyone's stunned faces.

"C'mon, let's go," he said, and everyone followed, shaking off of their amazement.

With the ten minutes that followed of them traveling over the bridge, the group mingled, talking freely and carefree until they made it across to the Meltokio Continent. When the group met land, they were finishing a conversation that had been going on most of the time while on the bridge. And it wasn't a conversation Kratos particularly liked either.

"Wait a minute…so Kratos and Anna…LIKE each other?" Sanaro asked, grinning form ear to ear. The solemner Seraphim was trying to completely ignore the conversation altogether, but he couldn't help but hear it.

"Yeah, the funny part is that Kratos is practically known for being the 'Lone Wolf' and the heartless guy a long time ago. Mithos and I talked about it all the time," Yuan answered, smiling mockingly back at Kratos, who just HAD to answer that one.

"I'm not heartless, and just because I preferred being alone doesn't mean I do now," he answered, his tone obviously aggravated.

"Yeah, Kratos is actually really sweet when you get to know him," Anna added, putting an arm around the one she loved. Yuan snorted at the comment, but shut himself up at the glare Kratos gave him.

"Alright, the point is, you like each other. Now let's not have a death glare contest, okay?" Sanaro said, pointing out the glare Anna gave to Kratos for glaring at Yuan.

"Whatever," Anna and Yuan said at the same time, while Kratos stubbornly remained silent. Shortly after the silence that followed the conversation, Anna pointed out the imperial city of Meltokio.

"Look! There it is!" she exclaimed, thrusting a finger at the far off city. Because it was so far, most of Meltokio looked extremely dark and gray, and nothing was distinguishable. However, it was undoubtedly the city.

Yuan looked at the position of the sun and judged the time quickly, trying to choose whether to stay in the city or continue through the plains.

"Well, it's about noon time. Do you want to rest at the city or continue until later?" he asked, the question mostly pointed towards Kratos. Anna's eyes brightened and she nodded her head, eager to sleep in the city again. It was quite a fun place, full of shops and even a coliseum. _I wonder if Kratos should go in it…_ she thought, eyeing him.

"Well, I'd prefer to continue, but it looks like Anna wants to stay," he answered, glancing back at her. She immediately nodded, smiling. Sanaro shrugged.

"I don't really care either way," he added, shrugging.

"Looks like we'll be staying," Yuan announced after weighing the decision, and they turned slightly more east to have the city face right in front of them. Anna began to sprint for the city, excited to see it again, and Noishe with Annule followed, tails wagging.

"She's quite a charming one," Sanaro commented, watching her laugh with the wolf and protozoan, and Kratos nodded, smirking.

"I suppose she is," he answered, running a hand through his auburn hair. Yuan smiled as well.

"She almost reminds me of Martel…my fiancée was carefree like her…," he added, feeling himself drift back into his old memories. The three men walked silently together, deep in their thoughts.

"Hey, Kratos, are you going to get married to her?" Sanaro suddenly asked. Kratos froze in his steps, a look of shock on his face, and Yuan shot a worried glance to Sanaro.

"I…I'm not sure," the Seraphim replied unusually quiet, and coughed. The other two could see his face turn a slight shade of pink, only slight enough that they knew Kratos was embarrassed.

Kratos began walking again, except it was strangely fast, like he wanted to get out of the awkward situation. Yuan leaned over to Sanaro and whispered.

"Nice. I've never been able to make Kratos embarrassed in all 4,000 years of our lives, but you make it look so easy," he muttered, so soft, even Kratos couldn't hear it. Sanaro smiled back, shrugging.

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"Two rooms please," Anna asked, dropping a bag of Gald on the counter. The gruff innkeeper, Hunter, opened the pouch and spilled the contents onto the desk. He fingered through it, counting in his mind, and then gathered the money up. After picking the money up and placing it back in the bag, Hunter handed two keys to Anna, who thanked him graciously.

"So Sanaro and I in one room, and Kratos and Anna in the other," Yuan explained, taking one of the two room keys from Anna. As Yuan, Anna, and Sanaro headed for the stairs, Kratos turned the other way, explaining he needed more supplies for the trip to the Toize Valley Mine.

As he walked out, he thought of what Sanaro asked him. _Should I get into a closer relationship with her? Will she even accept if I propose too her?_ He wondered, his hand stroking his chin. They only admitted their feelings a couple weeks ago, and even if it was a strong relationship, love takes time, and cannot be rushed like this.

Kratos absently entered the items shop and approached the front desk. Quickly shaking his thoughts of love, Kratos ordered the specified items, mostly Melange Gels and Life Bottles. After placing the Gald to pay for the items on the desk, Kratos left, shouldering his pack with the new supplies in it.

While walking through town, Kratos began to understand why Anna loved the city so much. There were fenced lawns with accurately cut grass and colorful flowers all over it. A water fountain was placed in the middle of the city, with a sculpture of an angel lifting up its arms. The robe on the stone figure was very articulately made and looked like it took years to make it. The robe that the angel wore was precise in its flow, and in the wrinkles and creases at the arms, and feet, looking like there actually was an angel that turned to stone. The angel was a woman, whom was looking up into the sky, and had an innocent, hopeful look on her face. Water came up from the hands of the sculpture, and fell into the shallow pond in the middle of the fountain.

Kratos studied the sculpture for a moment, appreciating its beauty. _I believe Anna has much more natural beauty than that woman, however. They should make a fountain with the face of Anna. It's the best they'll find,_ he thought, smiling slightly at the stupidity of his own thoughts. Usually, he would have smacked himself for saying that, but Anna had taught him to relax, and enjoy the pleasures of life.

After observing the water feature, the Seraphim turned towards the inn, and walked towards it.

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Sanaro and Yuan entered Anna's room and closed it behind them, not wanting any intruders. The female didn't know they were even there until she turned away from her window at the sound of the door, and noticed them.

"Uh, what are you guys doing in here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Yuan and Sanaro were both intent on getting the Seraphim and Asgard Ranch escapee together, and they would need to talk to _both_ sides if they were to get this relationship kicking. Sanaro had sparked the whole idea by asking Kratos the embarrassing question, and Yuan and he decided to do it with Anna too.

"Anna, we want to talk about your relationship with Kratos," Yuan sated, folding his arms.

"If you want to marry that man, you're going to have to kick it up a couple notches," Sanaro added, following his fellow Seraphim's example. There was a moment of hesitation, and Anna looked unsure at the two men. "I mean, you _do _want to marry him, don't you?" Anna blushed a deep scarlet.

"Ye…Yeah," she replied, looking anywhere but the two.

"Then make a move for goddess' sake! I doubt Kratos will, considering he knows next to nothing about love and affections for others," Yuan explained. Anna hated to admit, but he was right; Kratos was a total love newbie.

"Alright, get out. You two are so annoying," she said abruptly, getting up from her bed. Before Sanaro could open his big mouth, she kept going. "I'll think about it, but it's not your business."

"Yes it-," Sanaro began, but the door slammed on him, stopping him in mid-sentence.

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Kratos came into his room at about sunset time, and with the room's window facing west, it was a beautiful sight. It was the first thing he noticed when he walked inside and placed his pack on his bed.

"How was shopping?" Anna asked from her bed, smiling. She was sitting up, but the covers of the bed were pulled back so she could easily get into bed in a couple hours' time.

"Fine," he replied, thinking of the question Sanaro asked earlier on the road. For some reason, he couldn't get it out of his head.

Then, it seemed time stopped as they locked eyes, the dark, sharp eyes of Kratos, and the affectionate hazel of Anna. They held their gaze, all their love showing in those eyes. Then, when they tore their gaze, time seemed to go too fast, and it after some soft talking, it was night.

The two muttered good nights, and fell asleep within minutes.

However, the exsphere attached to Anna's sternum began to pulse, slowly evolving from its inferior state to a cruxis crystal, and began draining the very power and soul of Anna that night.

When the metamorphosis of the crystal kicked in, Anna screamed as a jolt of pain went through her. It was a high pitched scream, short, yet so loud it rang across the room for minutes to pass. Kratos leapt out of bed and rushed to the sleeping woman's side. She was sweating, breathing hard, yet she still managed to stay sleeping.

Kratos noticed the crystal pulsing with energy and silently cursed. The process of evolving the exsphere began.

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Mr.Who2123: Uh-oh. Now Kratos has to worry about Anna now, not just the pact ring. Oh, I've also decided to have my lovebirds work more on their relationship because A) This is a LOVE story! B) How many kisses have they had? One? Two maybe? C'mon, we need to kick it up! Oh, and they're going to work on their relationship and get help from the two story clowns: Sanaro and Yuan. They will have a more comical part of this story, yet it is still a big one. It will be their life goal to get them together. D

Kratos: Review.

Mr.Who2123: Yes, please review, and thank you!


	33. To the Toize Mine

Mr.Who2123: 100 REVIEWS!!!!! WHOOOOOO!!!! (Throws a Party)

Kratos: (Covered in streamers) Thanks to those who have read so far.

Mr.Who2123: I OWN NOTHING!!!! It's all NAMCO!!!

Namco Director: Did someone say my name?

Kratos: 00;; Where'd you come from?

Mr.Who2123: Does it matter? PARTY!!!!

Namco Director: Whatever (Parties)

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The night was black, with small, twinkling stars and the crescent moon to ward off the complete black of night. If it weren't for those small, defiant lights in the sky, then everything would be pitch black without any light to guide us even in the darkest of nights. Without the stars and moon, we wouldn't find any hope of finding our way when the sun finally dips into the west for its nightly rest.

Then, when it seems the dark is finally overpowering the small dots of light in the sky, the east begins to glow with the light of a new day, and dark, as well as the stars, are washed away in the arrays of light blues and pinks known as dawn.

When the soft light of day first came upon Kratos' face, his eyes snapped open, ready immediately to start the day. He was under the sheets of his bed in the inn, comfortable, but he was ready to go quickly. The Seraph had never been a fan of sleeping the day away; he knew he had much more important things than getting his beauty sleep. Silently, Kratos got out of his bed, and checked on his love's exsphere. He leaned over slightly to get a better look, his hair nearly touching Anna's nose. The small gem went back to its red hue and seemed to be harmless once more.

"Uh, good morning Kratos?" Anna asked, looking at Kratos with a bit of bemusement. Kratos suddenly backed away; surprised he didn't notice her wake up.

"I'm sorry, but I just wanted to check on your exsphere," he replied, grabbing some clothes in his pack, and going into the bathroom to change. Anna, taking advantage of being alone, changed very quickly as well, so they could be ready more quickly. She knew as well as him that they have more important things than waiting around.

"Is there something wrong with it?" she asked through the door as she thrust on a blue shirt and light shorts.

"No, nothing," Kratos lied back, emerging from the door with a sulking expression. Anna slowly walked over to Kratos, noticing it.

"Are you sure?" she replied, putting her arms around his neck. Kratos smiled at the gesture, yet his heart was hurting. He couldn't bear to tell her that the exsphere was beginning its parasitic process.

"C'mon, let's get Yuan and Sanaro," Kratos said, trying to destroy the current discussion on hand. Anna nodded, and opened the door to the hallway. The sun had barely risen, and the sky was still partly dark. The Seraphim sharply turned right and opened the door of the other two companions.

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Sanaro was sleeping comfortably…maybe a little too comfortably. He was on his stomach, his arm hanging off the bed and dangling like a slow moving pendulum. However, that wasn't the reason why Yuan was staring angrily at his new companion. It was the noise that came from Sanaro's mouth, the atrocious snore that erupted from his nose every single second. It was louder than life itself, it seemed to Yuan, and he put a pillow over his head, hoping it could block out at least part of the noise.

_WHY CAN'T I EVER SLEEP?_ His mind thought over and over.

When Yuan was first faced with the problem, he tried a numerous array of ideas to solve the problem.

The first one was just simply waking Sanaro and telling him to shut up. However, everything was to no avail. He tried shouting, smacking, everything, but the warrior would not wake up. So, the poor blue haired Seraphim was forced to think of something else…while listening to the unrelenting snores all the while.

Next, Yuan tried plugging up Sanaro's nose. Already, this was an extreme maneuver, but Yuan was tired, and when people are tired, they go nuts. So, Yuan found two cotton balls in the bathroom and stuck them up Sanaro's nose. Immediately, the sound disappeared, and Yuan sighed in relief. But as he got into bed to sleep, the sound came again…except this time, it was louder than ever. Yuan was nearly at the point of tears as he got up once again and looked at Sanaro. It seemed when Sanaro exhaled, the cotton balls flew out of his nose and onto the floor.

Next, Yuan tried plugging his ears with another pair of cotton balls…but Sanaro's snoring was just too loud to tone out. Just as Yuan crossed the thought of killing this annoying Seraph, Kratos and Anna came in, already dressed.

"Yuan, are you alright? You look…tired," she observed.

"No, I didn't get any sleep last night…because of _this_ guy," he muttered, pointing to Sanaro, who was just waking up.

"Wha…why's everyone in here?" Sanaro mumbled, sitting up and yawning. Kratos raised an eyebrow at the innocent Sanaro, and then to Yuan, who looked delusional.

"He…he snored so loud that I couldn't sleep!!" Yuan pointed at Sanaro, who was beginning to think Yuan was delusional as well.

"Snoring…?" everyone asked simultaneously.

"Whatever, I'm getting dressed," the new companion shrugged and headed to the bathroom to get dressed.

"Yuan, you tend to have lots of problems with sleeping," Anna noted, remembering the 'counting sheep' moment back in Sybak. Sanaro emerged from the room, dressed in his full armor and leaning against the open door.

"I guess I just have insomnia or something…," Yuan muttered, sitting on his bed. Suddenly, a bundle of clothes were thrown at his face, blocking his vision. Indignant, Yuan peeled them off of his face, noticing it was a pair of his own clean clothes.

"C'mon, get dressed," Sanaro said, obviously being the one who threw them. "We don't have time to brood over a lack of sleep."

_More like a whole night of no sleep, _Yuan muttered darkly in his thoughts, entering the bathroom.

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Almost all the tension that was held in the morning dissipated when the six companions left for the Toize Valley Mine. Kratos pulled out a map from his pack, opening it to make sure he was on the right track.

"We go south until we meet the ocean, and there should be a private port somewhere that takes us east," he muttered, half to himself. Anna was looking over the map, unsure of where the position of the group even was, much less where they were headed.

Noishe and Annule were playing together, jumping on top of each other, play fighting, and enjoying themselves as they traveled. When Annule knocked over Noishe in a fight, the protozoan growled at the playmate, ready to get Annule back. Soon, Annule was padding away as fast as his white legs could muster while Noishe was behind the whole time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike back.

When Noishe was close enough to leap at the wolf, he made an extra burst of speed, to get at the perfect distance, and Annule took notice of it. In a moment, Annule was going faster than ever, wishing Noishe would finally get tired. However, Noishe took a chance and made a huge leap at the wolf in front of him. The protozoan was just about to clash with Annule, when he suddenly tumbled over on the grass, completely missing his playful target. The companions, watching from quite a few meters behind, began laughing as they saw that Annule had unfurled his wings, and flew right above his protozoan friend.

_Cheater!_ Noishe screamed in his thoughts, making a face at the floating wolf. Annule made an expression equivalent to an amused grin, and slowly came back down, letting his tongue hang out in exasperation.

"Annule, you're such a little cheater," Anna remarked, chuckling as they caught up to the canines. Immediately, Noishe wagged his tail, nodding his furry head in agreement.

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As they group came to the small pier at the southern-most part of the Meltokio Continent, Anna broke into a run. She loved the ocean more than almost anything, except sailing on it.

"C'mon!" she called, already feeling the sand beneath the grass, making her increase her already running pace. Yuan leaned towards Kratos, a smile on his face.

"Better go get her…or she's going to be so far that she'll be out of your grasp, and you're going to hate yourself for it," he whispered, and then promptly ran forward to catch up with the spirited, young Anna. Kratos nearly stopped when his fellow Seraph said that, and watched the woman he loved.

_As much as I hate to admit it…he's right,_ he thought, making his legs move faster as well.

Sanaro saw Yuan come up next to him, a little flustered, but smiling.

"What'd you tell him?" he asked, grinning as well. Anna was only a few meters in front of them, and Kratos was still coming behind them.

"That he better make a move or some guy's going to take her before he gets even close to her," Yuan replied, and the two began to laugh, for they knew that was a huge possibility.

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The pier itself was nothing more than a dock and a couple of merchants that wanted to get over to the continent eastward. Anna was sitting on top of a flat boulder, her shoes off, and her feet dangling over the edge. The tips of her toes touched the soft, warm ocean water.

The ship wasn't supposed to disembark yet, and the group had a little time to enjoy the beach. The men, Anna deducted, decided that talking to a couple of stray merchants was more important than having some fun on the beach.

Her mind wandered as she felt the waves crash against the rocks, and seawater sprayed all over her. She smiled, shaking her brown hair from the water that had made it so wet. From her nose dripped sea spray, and the cheerful young woman wiped it off, laughing as more water splashed on her, making her efforts to keep dry to no avail.

Anna noticed the sun was making its dip into the ocean, turning the normally blue skies into a pink and orange hue. A chill was sent through Anna's whole body, and she shivered, hunching her body closer around herself.

_I should've brought a jacket…_ she thought, closing her eyes as of it would close away the icy chill that moved up her spine.

Suddenly, Anna was warm, and not just physically, but emotionally as well. Arms wrapped around her neck were warm, and soon, she was leaning back against the one she loved.

"Kratos…," Anna murmured, her eyes still closed. She got a soft kiss in response, short, but powerful, and it was all that she needed. The two laid there for what seemed hours, content in each other, as they waited for the boat to finally leave.

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Secretly, two sets of eyes were watching the lovers sitting together. The owners of those eyes were cracking up, and cheering for their victory.

"Finally, they're doing something!" Yuan said, still chuckling.

"Seriously," Sanaro added, and then the two did a high-five, and laughing at their childish behavior.

Then, when an hour passed by, the two Seraphim were still watching the lovers together, and not very cheery anymore. Even though they didn't truly feel that cold, they're bodies shivered in response to the icy air.

"…How long have they been there for?" Sanaro asked, yawning. Yuan merely shrugged.

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Mr.Who2123: Sorry if it seemed to end strangely. I'm sick (achoo!) and I took some sleep medicine so I'm a little tired. But I hope you liked the fluff!

Kratos: (Still in streamers) Review.

Namco Director: Yes, please review!


	34. The Halloween Boat Ride

Mr.Who2123: HALLOWEEN!!! BOO!

Kratos: …You think that would scare me?

Mr.Who2123: (Raises Anna from dead and then kills her)

Kratos: (Faints)

Mr.Who2123: Now, THAT was scary…for Kratos at least.

Yuan: (Dressed as a vampire, and thoroughly NOT enjoying it) We have a special treat for you guys.

Mr.Who2123: Oh, and I own NOTHING!

Kratos: (Unconscious)

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The companions made it on the boat, and were in good spirits. It was sailing smoothly, breezing through the blue water. It also seemed the ship was moving ahead of schedule.

Anna sat in her room, preparing…for…something. She laughed, almost maniacally as she saw her progress.

"Everyone will love it!" she squealed to herself, quickening her pace.

Meanwhile, Kratos, Yuan, and Sanaro were on the front deck, leaning against the rails that set a perimeter around the whole ship. It was quite a large one as well, and Sanaro had already gotten lost in it.

"Hey, I've heard there's some sort of holiday today…" Kratos added, obviously in thought. Yuan's face suddenly brightened.

"Yeah…what's it called…um…Scream day?" he suggested. Sanaro also knew what they were talking about, and tried to remember it as well. They _were_ 4,000 years old, and Halloween didn't even exist until after the war.

Suddenly, thick steps sounded behind the three, and didn't even bother to look behind. Those heavy steps were of…

"'Hoy mates! 'Ow are ye?" the captain of the ship asked in a thick accent, and patted the back of Kratos, who, in fact, was the one who found and paid the man…handsomely.

"We were just trying to remember the holiday that was today…it slipped our minds," Sanaro replied, smiling as if he'd just done something stupid. Which he did…who could forget…?

"Halloween! It's the best holiday of all!" the captain exclaimed cheerily, thrusting his hands in the air, thus adding more drama to the exclamation. Yuan snapped his fingers.

"_That_ was it! Yeah, it's when you scare other people and talk about scary stuff," he said. Then, Sanaro nudged Yuan to get his attention.

"What would really be scary is to see Yggdrasil in a skirt. I think I'd faint if I saw that," Sanaro said, and the other Seraphim nodded. It was true.

""Ey, where's that beauty…Anna was 'er name?" the captain asked, ignoring the strange joke.

"Yeah, Kratos, where's Anna?" Yuan smiled knowingly, putting an arm around him. Kratos shrugged out of it in aggravation.

"I'm not sure, but if she wanted to be with us, she'd come here. I don't want to bother her with…whatever she does," Kratos replied curtly. The captain then lumbered off, leaving the men to talk among themselves.

"Bother her?" Sanaro sighed, completely struck at how dumb his companion was being.

"Are you serious right now?" the two Seraphim gaped at the remark. "She _loves_ you, and she wouldn't be bothered of you if you talked to her nonstop for the rest of her life." Kratos turned away from his fellow companions, sighing.

"I know…"

"Then _what_ are you waiting for?" Yuan asked/exclaimed. He went behind the assertive Seraph and pushed him towards the cabin. "Go see her."

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Anna had finished. She stood up from her uncomfortable spot on the carpet floor, folding her arms with happiness. She had finished…it was…a ton of scary Halloween decorations? She laughed as she looked around. She couldn't wait to scare everyone, especially Kratos.

And…speak of the devil!

"Anna, I'm coming in," she heard the deep voice of Kratos sound on the other side of the door. Quickly, she ran and put her weight against it…she had to finish setting up!

"Uh, Kratos, can you come back some other time? I'm…busy," she said. Kratos, stunned, pulled back his hand that was reaching for the handle.

"Alright, Anna," he said in an oddly sad tone, and walked off. Anna immediately felt like she just backstabbed him, and sighed. _He'll feel better when he sees what I've done,_ she then thought, and went to work.

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"I bet I can beat you at arm wrestling," Sanaro suddenly said. They were both sitting down on chairs, with a table in between them. Yuan looked at Sanaro like he had burst into song, and quickly shook it off.

"I bet you can't,"

"Well, let's bet on it," Sanaro grinned, leaning back in his chair. He was one for competition. Yuan frowned as he fished through his pockets.

"How about 400 gald?" he said, finding the four coins, and placed them on the table. Sanaro kept the smile on his face as he threw down four coins as well.

"800 gald on the line," he said, and rested his elbow on the table. Yuan did the same, and the two clasped hands, staring each other down with now _extremely _competitive frowns on their faces.

"On your mark…," Sanaro started.

"Get set…," Yuan continued. They're hands gripped the other much harder, and if they were dealing with a normal person, would've crushed the bone by now.

"GO!" the two Seraphim both shouted, and the contest of strength began. Their hands shook with strain as both of their incredible power tried to overcome the other. Suddenly, Sanaro slightly faltered, and Yuan had gained the upper arm. It became easier for Yuan and harder for Sanaro as the newest companion struggled to fight his way back to the middle.

Then, Yuan saw Kratos walk out, and quite sad, and forgot about the whole contest for a moment. Soon, his arm was slammed against the table.

"Hey, that's not fair!" he shouted. Yuan reached for the money, but Sanaro stopped him.

"I won fair and square, the money is mine!"

"You cheated,"

"You just zoned,"

"Well, look, there's Kratos! He made me stop thinking about the game!" Sanaro looked towards Kratos, noticing the slumped figure. Silently, the two companions walked towards the third one, wondering what could make him so gloomy, and also forgetting completely about the stranded 800 gald…which ended up being stolen.

"What's wrong Kratos?" Yuan asked, leaning on the rails as his depressed friend did. Sanaro did the same, silently, and waited for him to answer.

"Anna told me to leave her alone," he replied quietly. With his head bent, the bangs in front of Kratos' face drooped over his eyes, hiding them. Sanaro and Yuan were dumbstruck. _Anna?_ The cute and lovable woman who loves Kratos more than anything?

Yuan and Sanaro turned around to talk amongst themselves.

"I can't believe she'd do that," Sanaro noted. Yuan looked back at Kratos.

"I can't believe Kratos loves someone that much though, he's totally depressed!" Yuan whispered back. "Let's go see Anna."

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Anna had finished placing every single contraption into place. The sad words of her love, however, made her worry constantly about what he's doing now. _I hope he's okay…_ was all she wondered. As the knock came upon the door of the room, Anna smiled.

"Come in!" she called back in a singsong voice. Immediately, two Seraphim, who were _not_ Kratos came through.

"Anna, I'd like to-," Yuan began, but something scared the wits out of him. A grotesque excuse for a skeleton fell on his head, nearly making him scream. Sanaro laughed when the look of horror sprung onto his companion's face. Suddenly, a huge spider fell on top of the laughing Seraph's head, and both laughed at each other.

Anna laughed as well, and then looked at them. They were laughing, but it was strained, at least for Yuan, and she knew they were not here to play around.

As if suddenly remembering there reason for being in here, Yuan got serious and threw off the skeleton. Then, as he stepped forward, orange and black string practically attacked him as it flew at him from both sides. Yuan _did_ scream this time, as it seemed like an attack on both sides. Sanaro laughed even more as he was covered in string, glaring at the joyful Seraph.

"Anna, what is the meaning of this?" Yuan demanded, shaking it off like a wet dog.

"It's Halloween, silly, and I was going to scare Kratos…but it seems it works well on you too," she explained. Yuan acted as if a lightbulb turned on in his head.

_She didn't want him to see her preparing the trick!_ He thought. Sanaro had figured it out as well, and turned for the door.

"We'll let you set it up again. Those were good pranks," Sanaro complimented. Anna smiled, nodding, and went to picking up the thin strings of paper. Just as Yuan was about to leave, he looked back at the room.

_It could use some more work from me…_ he thought.

"Hey, Anna, maybe you could add something else," Yuan said, moving away once again from the door. Anna rose an eyebrow at him.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked back, and an automatic smile came to her mouth.

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It had been at least an hour since Yuan and Sanaro left Kratos, and the assertive Seraph finally noticed how quiet it was. The only sound that came was the crashing of the ocean waves in harmony with the seagulls' songs. It was oddly beautiful, with the sun shining bright upon the boat, and giving color.

_Does Anna think I am…annoying?_ The question rang in his mind over and over. But…why was he so stressed over a small, simple act? What if she was just doing something personal, and didn't want someone to surprise her? What if she likes another person? What if she-?

_Relax…_ he forced himself to follow the one word thought in his head, and the Seraph sighed. _I should confront her. Why shouldn't I?_

Slwoly, Kratos walked towards the cabin door, which led to the hallway that could curve left to the food, to the right for the captain's room, or straight, for all the guestrooms…which there were only three.

Kratos followed the hallway forward, and walked to the door that led to his and Anna's room. Yuan and Sanaro had another, while the third was for the merchants that decided to come along as well. Slowly, Kratos knocked, and there was a joyful welcoming by Anna. Kratos smiled.

_See, nothing to worry about._

Kratos opened the door, and came face to face with a skeleton that hung from the ceiling. The actual surprise of seeing the empty sockets and fake blood made Kratos jump back and almost pull his word out of its sheath. However, as realization dawned on him, he let go of the scabbard, and sighed.

"Funny, Anna. Very funny," he muttered to himself, and gently pushed the skelton aside. When he took no more than two steps into the room, a spider fell on his head and over his eyesight. Kratos made a shout and threw down the spider, once again ready to decapitate the device.

Now that he was actually inside the room, Kratos saw Anna laying on the bed, asleep. He smiled at the look of her so peaceful, and began walking over to her, until inevitably…

String now completely covered Kratos as his rage slowly built on the annoying tricks. _If she's going to make them, she needs to make them actually scary…_ he thought, shaking himself out of the string. Kratos continued through the room, his brown eyes darting around, looking for anything to pop out at him as he came closer and cloaser to Anna.

Amazingly, without more obstacles, Kratos was basically at Anna's side.

_He always lets his guard down at the perfect moment,_Yuan thought, snickering as his latest trick was about to be initialized. Sanaro had thin, rubber strips on his arms, legs, and neck…needed for the trick to work. The two were behind the closet, and silent as possible. With four thousand years of practice, Sanaro secretly walked behind Kratos, and waited for the puppet to be brought down…

"Hey, Anna-," Kratos began, his hand about to touch her limp one. Suddenly, something jumped onto Kratos' back, and cackled. Kratos shouted, freaked out, and grabbed the arm of the puppet, chucking it against the wall. Kratos was panting just from the scare, and noticed Sanaro, laughing.

"Man, I didn't think it was going to work!" he exclaimed. Kratos turned to Anna, who was awake, and watched the whole thing.

"Great job guys!" she exclaimed, laughing as well. Kratos himself didn't even know why they were laughing…until he looked down. The puppet had actually unbuckled the belts that were around his waist, and his pants were down, showing his underwear, which were actually compression shorts, but they made Kratos madly embarrassed all the same.

Yuan came from behind the closet, pounding his fists on the floor from the laughter.

"Genius!" he kept saying through gasping breaths. Kratos immediately pulled them up, fitting his belts through the loops and glaring at the three pranksters.

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Mr.Who2123: I have a Halloween surprise…THERE'S MORE!!! MY TREAT!!! D

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It was night now on the boat, and the moonlight reflected off of the water, moving with the constantly rolling waves. Yuan, Sanaro, and Anna were leaning on the rails, enjoying the night breeze before they head to bed. Kratos wanted some time alone, and the three could understand, being as his pants fell down in front of everyone, especially Anna.

"How'd you do that trick, Yuan?" Anna asked. She had forgotten to before the prank was played, and was interested at how the uppet moved just as Sanaro did.

"Well, since electricity can jump the nerves of anyone, I connected the nerves of Sanaro to the puppet. Well, the fake nerves of the puppet can, for a short time of course, do exactly what the puppet master does. All you have to make sure of is that there are rubber strips on the spots that are connected, or they'll get a constant shock until the connection ends," he explained.

"Sounds like you could do a lot with that skill," she said. Yuan nodded.

"I'm a little worried about Kratos, guys…do you think we hurt his feelings?" Sanaro asked. Silence followed, however it was shortlived. Suddenly, a familiar gross skeleton popped in front of all three, making Anna scream, Yuan shout, and Sanaro jump back at least a foot.

Kratos was laughing as he held the skeleton suspended by a string, and was flying high above all of them. His azure wings glowed brightly against the black backround, but they disappeared when he landed.

"Now that, my friends, was a good joke," he commented. The winded companions merely moaned at him.

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Mr.Who2123: So…how'd you like it as a Halloween chapter?

Kratos: Couldn't care less…

Yuan: (Snickering at picture of Kratos without his pants, embarrassed.)

Kratos: (flustered) G, Give me that!

Mr.Who2123: Sounds like you do care. (Laughs)

Yuan: (Holding picture above Kratos as he jumps for it.) Come on, just a little bit closer!! (In teasing voice.)

Mr.Who2123: Please Review!!!

Kratos: Give me that!!

Mr.Who2123: (I wonder why he doesn't use his wings…)


	35. Reaching the Mine

Mr.Who2123: Wow…I am on a role…I've been writing like a madwoman…

Kratos: Well, as long as this story finishes eventually, I don't care what you do…

Mr.Who2123: T.T You're so cruel!!

Kratos: …She owns nothing.

Mr.Who2123: Let's begin!!!

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Kratos was relieved to see the pier in sight. He was leaning against the rails of the boat, his arms folded on top of the metal barrier. It was a couple hours before noon, and the day was clear, with no clouds, and the sun warming the ocean with its rays. It was truly a beautiful sight.

Suddenly, the vision of the pier was turned black, and Kratos moved back in surprise. There was a soft pressure against his eyes, and Kratos immediately knew someone was covering them.

"Guess who," a voice said behind. Well, _that's_ easy. It's not like Yuan or Sanaro would do this.

"Anna…," he murmured, and the hands came back off of his face. Then, lips met his cheek as Anna kissed it. The Seraph smiled and put his arm around Anna, whom was at his right.

"I love you," he simply stated. Saying that phrase felt wonderful, as if he had just saved the worlds, and was carefree. The feeling of being with Anna was the best in the world, and he savored every moment.

"I love you too," she replied softly in his ear. Her head fell on his shoulder, and the two waited for the boat to dock.

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Kratos shouldered his pack, ready to go. Yuan, Sanaro, and Anna had done the same, and now all three of them were ready to go. The captain eagerly waved goodbye, telling them to come again whenever they needed a boat ride.

The six, including the wolf and the protozoan, were at a small abbey west of the Toize Valley Mine. It would be no more than five hours to get there, and because of the early dock, they would make it by the end of the day.

Sanaro encouraged Anna to ride Annule, saying it wouldn't be a problem for the large wolf.

"He's carried me and two wounded soldiers at one time before. You won't be a problem," he added, smiling. Anna nodded, and mounted the wolf. The soft fur and large back made riding Annule increasingly comfortable, as she reclined, smiling.

Kratos did the same with Noishe. His wounds were almost completely healed, but he still limped. The journey would undoubtedly be more efficient of he rode on Noishe, whose size made it no problem to carry out the task.

Yuan and Sanaro were content walking, watching as the canines and their passengers went ahead.

"I saw them kiss before the ship docked," Sanaro whispered. Yuan grinned at the news.

"Guess what I heard, though," the lighting mage replied. Sanaro leaned closer, eagerly awaiting the juicy gossip. He felt like a teenage girl. "I heard them say they loved each other."

Sanaro chuckled, and threw his fist in the air.

"Yes! One step closer to getting them married!" he yelled, though not loud enough for the lovers' to hear. Yuan nodded, his smile wide.

Up ahead, Kratos was leaning forward on Noishe, his gloved hands holding tightly to the neck, though not enough to hurt the protozoan. Anna had reclined, her head on the neck, and her feet dangling off. Her arms were behind her head, cushioning it like a pillow. The two canines were close to each other, the sound of paws hitting a grass floor making a cadence that they followed, not missing a beat. Everything was silent except for the incessant, soft thumps of paws.

"Hey Kratos," Anna said, looking over at him. His eyes were formerly focused on the journey ahead, but he quickly looked to her. The tense focus of his eyes left, and in their place were joyful, loving eyes. She blushed, noticing she was staring, and looked forward. "Do you ever think…we'll get to settle down?"

Shock hit Kratos, as he nearly fell off of Noishe. "Well, Anna…" Kratos began, coughing. "Our journey is drawing to a close. The worlds will be saved, and there will be no more evil to keep us at flight. When that time comes, we will know the answer. But for now, keep your eyes on the present, and strive to do your best." Anna nodded, though her thoughts still wandered to what it would be like after the worlds have been saved.

_Hm, Anna just said…'we'll settle down…' Does that mean…that she wants to get married?_ The Seraph shot a quick glance at Anna, who was faced towards the direction of the mine. Kratos smiled to himself. _I cannot wait until that time comes, for I want to marry her as well._

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A giant, gaping hole of a door was in front of them. There was wood supporting the large amount of crumbling rocks, but it looked like a forbidding cave of no return.

"Well, shall we get started?" Sanaro asked, dispersing the silence of hesitation. Everyone nodded in return, snapping out of their gazing. Kratos started forward first, Anna beside him, and Yuan with Sanaro behind. The canines stayed behind, ready to warn the group if there were any intruders.

Inside, the cave was dark; the only light that existed were the mechanical torches on the sides. However, even those were dim, and it looked like the cave hasn't been entered in centuries. The group came upon a security system, armed and deadly.

"Well, what shall we do about this contraption?" Kratos asked, looking behind. Sanaro stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.

"Leave it to me," he replied, and knelt by the system. He pulled out a dagger from his boot, small and made with crystal, one of the hardest materials on the planet. He cut upon a small patch of metal on the control android, and it somehow didn't react. The other three watched as Sanaro fingered through wires, his expertly trained hands moving smoothly through the colorful wires.

"Do you know why cords are colored?" he suddenly asked, still going through the wires. He picked one out, looked at it, and then kept going through them. The hesitation was his answer, 'I don't know.'

"Because people can't tell which cord is which without being color-coded. However, I've learned every single frequency that every single wire makes. I know how each cord is made, and their small distinctions. I can even make any type of wire, whether they're wires for receiving energy, for connecting power, anything," he continued. The former Cruxis spy pried open the colored rubber around the wire, and split the metal inside.

The machine turned off, and Sanaro expertly put them back together. The system rebooted. Sanaro quickly pushed the cords back into the control android, and closed the metal flap. Muttering a weak spell, Sanaro shot a small fireball at the edge of the metal, melting it together, as if nothing ever happened.

The group shuffled through the open door, which freely let them in without attacking at all.

"How'd you get the door to stay open?" Anna asked, looking back. It had closed, and the security was online again.

"Well, it takes about seven minutes for the security system to reboot and be fully functional. I just had the machine turn off and reboot," Sanaro answered. The rest nodded, half amazed at the skills this newly aquatinted friend had, and wondered if he had any more hidden under the modest smile which he held.

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Mr.Who2123: I'm sorry! It's kind of short, but I had to end it there…

Kratos: (Dancing) I'm going to marry Anna!

Mr.Who2123: 0.0;; What the heck?

Kratos: (Embarrassed) Uh, sorry about that. Please review.

Mr.Who2123: (Dancing) I'm gonna get reviews!

Kratos: …


	36. Automated World

Mr.Who2123: Sorry for the big lengths of no updating…I've been addicted to Guild Wars…

Kratos: (Reading hours a day Mr.Who2123 has played the game) It says you have an average of playing Guild Wars for seven hours a day.

Mr.Who2123: He…he…

Kratos: She owns nothing. Oh, and you need to spend those hours writing. (Grabs Mr.Who2123 by ear and drags to laptop.)

Mr.Who2123: Alright, alright! Geez, I'll get started now…

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The interior of the cave-like mine was depressing as a whole. The whole place was dark and dim, with only sparse torches as a real light. Every step, there seemed to be the sound of scuttling feet, alerting the group that there was always some monster of sorts following them.

"I heard the boulders all over this mine turn into evil rock monsters and attack you," Sanaro commented after a strange noise was heard by the Seraphim. Anna still had the normal hearing abilities she was born with, so these noises were nonexistent to her.

"Rock monsters?" Anna asked, her hazel eyes widening slightly. Sanaro nodded.

"It's just a rumor though. I've heard it as well," Yuan added.

"It doesn't matter what it is. As long as it's not Yggdrasil, I can kill it," Kratos retorted. Everyone was in total agreement. What could three 4,000 year old Seraphim not be able to overcome? Besides the fear of tomatoes for Kratos…

They continued through the first hallway until it opened up to a dead end in front and a strange machine at the right.

"Hey, what's this?" Anna asked, stepping towards the contraption. It had a metal stand with two glowing dots on it. There was also a lever, assumed to change the dominant light bulb. Anna inspected the machine, noticing the top button was glowing far more than the bottom; it shone a crimson red.

Sanaro also approached the machine, and after inspecting it, he grabbed the small lever.

"If we push this down," he said, and as if in response, his hand pulled it. The red light dimmed while the green one grew much brighter. "Then we can go on the platform."

A panel of metal hung on a series of metal strips began moving over a deep cliff. The group watched it move, dust flying everywhere, towards the automated door across from it. As it came back to carry the passengers, Anna was a bit skeptical.

"It doesn't look very stable…," she muttered as the panel awaited her to step on it.

"I'll fly you over," Kratos blurted. Yuan looked to Kratos for a minute before smacking his own face in annoyance.

"I forgot we had wings…," he muttered. Sanaro sighed, letting his wings come out. They were an emerald green, as bright and clear as the jewel itself. They were a bit longer than Kratos' azure ones, and curved slightly up. Yuan released his wings as well, the dark purple fading to a pink as you moved away from his back, so the very tips of them were a light shade of rosy pink while the stem was a dark purple, almost an indigo.

Kratos' wings were Cerulean blue, and almost transparent.

"Nice wings, Yuan," Anna commented, a malicious grin on her face.

"Seriously…those are a more girly color than Martel's wings," Sanaro added. Everyone looked to the Seraph, confused.

"You saw Martel?" Kratos asked, his eyes narrowing. "How do you know?" Sanaro backed away, his hands up in defense.

"Promise not to kill me…but I followed you closely under Mithos' direction. I've been with you secretly since the first real skirmish against Tethe'alla," he explained. Anna looked closely for the other Seraphim's responses.

"So you knew what everyone said and did?" Anna asked. Yuan was beginning to feel invaded, while Kratos felt a ping of disturbance from the secret Mithos had kept the whole time.

"I can't believe the little brat," Yuan muttered. He could now imagine a Sanaro snickering while Yuan was with Martel. Panic rose in him to a greater degree.

"How close did you watch?" he demanded.

"Guys, guys, don't worry. I didn't watch you guys pee or anything…Mithos just wanted me as a secret envoy, you know, just in case you guys pull a move against him. Although I was told to watch Yuan constantly ever since he voiced his love for Martel. He was super protective of her," Sanaro continued. Seeing the unsatisfied, he quickly added, "But I would stop watching you guys after you slept, don't worry."

With a grudge, Yuan lifted himself up with his wings, flying over the gaping cliff to the other side. Sanaro did the same, while Kratos held the back, carrying Anna in his arms.

As they entered the next room, the group decided to split up to look for the white silver and the diamond.

"Sanaro and Anna go for the white gold while Yuan and I go for the diamond," Kratos decided. He looked at an old map of the mine, and pointed in the direction of the silver mines for the knight and the ex prisoner.

With a wave, they left, both intent on not coming back until they got what they came for.

"Yuan, the diamond mines are in the very back, near the waterfall," Kratos observed, and led the way, which was the opposite direction of the others.

"Yuan," Kratos began, looking to his oldest friend. The blue haired Seraph looked back to him, ready to hear the statement. "I would like to marry Anna soon, but I need, well..,"

"A ring?" Yuan answered his grin wide. It was a blissful moment for him. _I think I finally got them together!_ He thought joyfully. "Don't worry, Kratos. I'll talk to a smith in the woods near Iselia. He's a dwarf, and his skills are very well known to all of Sylverant."

Kratos smiled back at his old friend, relief on his face.

"You would do that…for me?" he asked, however it was more to himself. Yuan answered nonetheless.

"Of course! What are friends for?" he exclaimed back. He swung an arm around the solemner Seraph's shoulder, the two chatting of old times as they made their way to the end of the mine.

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"According to this map copy, the gold and silver mine is…down here," he said, his face plastered to the map. Finally, he tore his eyes away from the old paper, and pointed to the elevator that moved downwards.

Anna nodded, and entered the metal machine. Slowly, it began to move down, the cogs making loud noises as they worked their rusted gears.

"Sanaro?" Anna asked, unusually timid for someone so bold. A turn of the blonde's head was a confirmation that he was listening for her to continue. "Well, I want to marry Kratos, and to really do that…I need, well…" Her cheeks flushed a dark pink, and Sanaro did his best to keep his wide grin at a minimum.

"…A ring?" he answered for her, and Anna looked up at him, bewildered.

"Yeah, do you know someone who could make one?" she asked, her voice rushed now, as she waited for an answer.

"Well, I spent most of my time in Tethe'alla, and I found an old dwarf working for Cruxis. He's a nice enough fellow that he'll gladly make you something for him. And don't worry about the pay. I've helped him enough as it is," he answered. Anna took a moment before answering, her face showing she's in deep thought.

"Sure, I'll take you up on that offer," she said, a smile on her face.

They reached the bottom of the mining site, and the two dispersed to look for any sign of the needed material. For minutes, they didn't talk, hands digging into loose dirt, and breaking down small rocks. For what seemed three hours later, although it was actually much less, Sanaro noticed a machine pass behind him. He turned toward it, curious of what the machine does.

The automated contraption was merely a quadruped with a metal box shaped on it. These machines walked along a metal conveyer belt, hidden under a thin layer of dark dirt. Sanaro looked down at the box, and noticed there were rocks in it, not yet mined, but clearly had white gold, considering the white glow that emitted from some of the under layers that showed.

"Hey, Anna, come here," Sanaro said, his eyes still on the machine, and waved a hand to beckon her. Curious as well, Anna approached the robotic quadruped, also looking at the contents inside.

"Hey, that's white gold in there!" she exclaimed. Her hand reached for the rocks, but the gloved hand of Sanaro quickly stopped her.

"Let's follow it. They probably have these machines bring the rock in another machine to be broken apart, and then the material is separated. We can just take the pure white gold then," he explained. Anna nodded, and the two followed the thin belt that led them to who-knows-where.

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Kratos and Yuan made their way to the waterfall with much success and no interruptions. The two were in high spirits as they crossed the wooden bridge, the creaking noises deaf to their ears. The sound of rushing water was constant in the background, the water now white foam as it roared down the steep precipice.

The Seraphim reached a load of boxes, one containing ore for exspheres, one holding zircon, and others held more important materials. Kratos easily moved the boxes aside, looking for the one that would have diamond labeled on it.

"Kratos, I found it!" Yuan called, his hands on a box. It was positioned in the far corner, out of the huge pile. _Who would put it all the way over there? _he wondered, slightly disgruntled. Yuan pried open the wooden lid, throwing it off of the box. Inside was a pile of shining diamonds, glittering thousands of colors in the dim light.

The sight was purely beautiful, as the two stopped, just watching the jewels in amazement.

"Wow…," Yuan muttered, and whistled. "Hey, let's get one of these for Anna's ring!" Kratos looked to his friend, enjoying the idea, and nodded. So, swiftly they grabbed two of the largest diamonds, and closed the lid once more.

Quickly, they ran back towards the other two companions. Kratos put a diamond in his pack with his Aionis, while Yuan pocketed the other for Anna's ring.

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Sanaro and Anna had made it to the machine that was the source of all the conveyer belts. About five stemmed from the giant machine, and little quadruped machines were coming towards it, as well as leaving to get more ore.

"Whoa," both murmured at the same time, watching the quadruped with white gold empty its findings into a slot in the machine. A pipe from the machine steamed as it processed the ore, and for a moment, the two had thought that the machine had stopped working. Sanaro walked to the other side of the machine, waiting for the pure ore to come out.

Suddenly, a clump of white gold about the size of a fist came from the machine. It was on a conveyer belt, and the clump landed into another metal bin. Quickly, Sanaro grabbed the clump, feeling the soft ore mold in his hands.

Anna had caught up by then, and stared wide-eyed at the pure material.

"A clump this size would be about 600,000 gald, I assume," Sanaro observed. Quickly, he placed the ore into a thick bottle, and put it in his pack. "C'mon, let's get Kratos and Yuan." As he started to leave, he turned around.

"Oh, we have way too much white gold just for one ring. We could use the leftovers for a wedding band," he added. Anna smiled wide, nodding.

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Mr.Who2123: Well, that is how Kratos and Anna got their rings. I created a bit of an explanation for rings that would look nice. I don't think Kratos could _afford_ a diamond.

Kratos: I'd make the money.

Mr.Who2123: And do what?

Kratos: Be a mercenary…they get good pay if you get a good client.

Mr.Who2123: Whatever…well readers, please review!!


	37. Looking For Craftsmanship

Mr.Who2123: So sorry for the lack of updates…I was playing Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn since I got it on Christmas…and I was so obsessed that I beat it in six days…

Kratos: You have no life…

Mr.Who2123: (Grumbles)

Kratos: Well, she owns nothing related to Tales of Symphonia.

Mr.Who2123: Begin!

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The two, separated groups had found each other after they had successfully obtained their materials. They had found each other near the entrance, where they had talked about the feminine coloring of the blue haired Yuan's wings.

After Sanaro awkwardly carried Anna over the ditch while Kratos and Yuan flew themselves, the now united group pulled out their obtained materials. Kratos showed his huge diamond while Sanaro tossed his bottle of white gold in the air carelessly, catching it every time without a sweat.

"Why don't we stay split up to find a dwarf? I'm sure it wouldn't take much time if we did," Yuan suggested as the group made their way outside. It was a unanimous answer of "yes," considering the fact that each needed to stay split up so the rings could be made.

Upon seeing the white light as the exit of the cave, Anna smiled, and walked a bit faster towards it.

"Why Anna loves the sunshine so much, none of us will know…but it is good to be outside after being in that cave," Yuan whispered softly to Kratos, low enough that Anna couldn't hear. There was barely a response, except the flicker of a smile and a slight nod that anyone would have not noticed, yet Yuan had learned to look for these hidden reactions from his friend, or the Seraph would've thought Kratos was deaf by now.

Once outside, Anna was pounced by two giant canines, each covering her with a flurry of licks. Only when the 'dogs' saw that Kratos and Sanaro were out as well did they stop their attack, and Noishe approached Kratos while Annule did the same with Sanaro. They made a move to knock over their friends like they did to Anna, but the Seraphim were prepared, and merely pet them instead of falling over.

Anna looked up to the sky, seeing it was morning, and that the night was spent in the cave as they searched for their specified materials.

"Should we rest for the day or move on?" she asked as the canines settled down.

"I'm not tired," Sanaro blurted.

"That's because we're angels, stupid," Yuan retorted. Sanaro merely replied with an "Oh…yeah."

"The question is…Is Anna tired? She's the one who's not an angel, you know," Kratos added. The woman shook her head, walking next to Sanaro.

"Let's go right now," she replied, and Kratos nodded. They parted ways, in the same groups as before with Sanaro, Anna, and Annule while Kratos, Yuan, and Noishe were in the other. Before leaving, Sanaro's group decided to go to Sylverant while Kratos' group chose to look in Tethe'alla. Yuan quickly pulled out a small device, giving it to Sanaro.

"I kept this in case we would need to travel between worlds," he said. Sanaro took it hesitantly, confused. "It's a wing pack with a specially designed ship I made. It can travel through the rift between the worlds using the power of the Summon Spirits, and there's a special compartment in one that could hold Annule." Sanaro thanked him, and said goodbye to Kratos and Yuan, while Anna parted by giving Kratos a warm embrace and waving to Yuan.

Sanaro and Anna immediately opened their wing pack, revealing two machines with wings and a booster on its ends. There many, but very simple controls, and a small energy gauge on the right, showing it was completely charged. One was larger than the other due to a cage-like contraption on the end, made to hold a very large canine.

"Well, shall we try out this thing?" Sanaro asked, approaching it. Anna hesitantly nodded and stepped towards her machine, which was colored blue, and sat in the surprisingly comfortable seat. Sanaro was on his silver colored one while Annule flew into the cage, finding it comfortably padded as well.

"It looks like Yuan is really into comfortable stuff," Anna noted as she sat back in the padded seat. Sanaro nodded, and pushed the ignition. The machine rumbled, making very little noise, however, and rose slowly in the air. Sanaro grabbed the steering bars, making him turn right. Anna lifted up and followed his action, turning the bars right. He turned around, hearing a whine from Annule. Apparently, the wolf liked it better when he was flying in control.

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Yggdrasil trusted no one to do anything anymore. His two best friends were gone and had betrayed him, and the Cruxis leader felt there was only one more person he could trust; Sanaro, his spy. He was always there, hidden, and watching out for Yggdrasil.

"I need Sanaro to look for those two," he muttered. He retreated into his quarters, which no angel dared entered, and sat down. The room was large, decorated intricately like it was a king's. His bed had thick, red sheets which were soft as a lemon is sour. Old, oaken wood was used for his desk and chair, red padding over the chair. There was also a large collection of books, organized by color on that grand bookcase. Whenever the Seraph was mad, which was basically all the time, he vented his anger by organizing his hundreds of books. They have been ordered chronologically, alphabetically, and by color many times. Once, he even organized it by how many pages were in each book, or by alphabetically order of the authors.

His mind set, Yggdrasil approached a white washed wall in his room, and knocked on it twice, but so lightly that it was nearly impossible for him to hear.

This was the call for Sanaro to come down and do Yggdrasil's bidding. However, the call was unheard, and no one came. Usually, a hatch in the ceiling opened, and Sanaro would be there, kneeling before the leader, ready to do his bidding. However, the hatch was unopened, uninhabited now for weeks. However, it was weeks since the Cruxis leader had asked for the former spy.

He waited, and when there was no appearance or sign that Sanaro was there, the cruxis leader knocked on the wall again, just as light as before. There was again no response. Gritting his teeth, Yggdrasil clenched his fist, filling it with white, deadly mana. He threw the power at the near invisible hatch, blowing a hole in it. Particles of wood, small and large, flew everywhere in his room, falling to his floor with loud noises.

Looking up, Yggdrasil saw the small, modest room was empty, except for a small note which lay on the tiny bed. The leader flew up, through the hole, and snatched the note. By this time, Pronyma was at Yggdrasil's door, knocking softly and asking if he was alright. The Seraph ignored those callings, his whole mind focused on the tiny note in his hands.

"_Yggdrasil,_

_I am leaving, due to one reason. You care nothing of and trust no one, so I can't care or trust you. You sacrifice lives like they don't matter, and I can no longer help you do this. I am sorry, but Martel's life is not more important than any of those other lives that you have taken so carelessly._

_So, I'm leaving to join with Kratos and Yuan. I just want you to ask yourself this, however…is what you're doing truly right? Or are you too selfish to see that what you do is pure evil? Think about that._

_Sanaro_

_P.S. – You suck."_

Upon reading this, Yggdrasil became livid. He crumbled the paper, and chucked it against the wall, the force of the blow so strong that it made a hole in the wall, causing another loud crash.

"Sanaro…You BETRAY ME AS WELL?!?" he screamed, and his power grew tenfold in his rage. The floor began cracking under his feet, and the room began shaking madly. The many books fell out of the shelves, littering the room. The chair fell over, cracking under the power of the cruxis leader.

Pronyma heard the hundreds of crashes, and slowly backed away from the door, rethinking that it would be better if the Cruxis leader vented his anger by himself, and not through obliterating the Desian leader. She floated silently to her room, writing up reports that she would have done in a few days; the reports were due next week, but she didn't want Yggdrasil to have any reason to get mad at her.

It was a day after Yggdrasil had discovered his most trusted personnel had left him, and now, he was sitting on his bed, his head down against his bent knees. Yggdrasil's arms held his knees together, and the whole image of him was one similar to a depressed child, which he was in a way.

Among his sadness, Yggdrasil looked up, his ice blue eyes looking at the crumbled note on the floor in another room.

"…And I do NOT suck, Sanaro!" he complained, and fell back into silence.

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Mr.Who2123: And there it is…sorry once more, but blame my Wii and my brother for getting Fire Emblem. Please review!


	38. Same, Yet Different

Mr.Who2123: Well, here's the news…there are a total of 55 chapters in this story…so were more than halfway done! Wow, I thought I'd never finish this story…

Kratos: Well, good thing you are…though we inevitably know what will happen…but moving onward…Mr.Who2123 doesn't own anything related Tales of Symphonia.

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Sanaro and Anna were in the sky of Tethe'alla, ready to test Yuan's new crafts. Slowly, Sanaro signaled for Anna to push the 'world transfer' button, and they both did so simultaneously. Suddenly, the world went spinning as they suddenly went into a giant, rainbow portal, filled with all the Summon Spirits' power. They spun in circles, in harmony with their spinning wits.

Suddenly, it seemed there was a drop, and the two companions felt themselves fall down the colorful rift, but as they screamed for their lives, the two didn't see that the end of the portal was merely right below them, and they were being sucked in, and were NOT losing power.

The vehicles made a sudden stop, and the two found themselves directly above the city of Palmacosta, which was easily discerned by the closeness to the port and the mosaics that decorated the whole floor. The grass moved from the city, and towards the inside of the continent, stretching as far as the eye could see, even high above the air. Sighing, Sanaro sat back in his seat, the transfer portal being almost too much for him. It was a similar case with Kratos' fiancé, as they sat there for a couple moments before continuing to fly.

"That was…exciting," Sanaro commented loudly, as it was needed for the two to properly communicate.

"Yeah…well, where should we start searching for a dwarf?" Anna asked back. Sanaro smiled at the question, as well as the whimpering of Annule as the canine shook in the back of Sanaro's vehicle.

"We don't need to search…I know a dwarf with amateur skill that has lived near Iselia for years. He can make your band for Kratos while we can just say that we didn't find a dwarf. He's still a beginner, so it would be way beyond his skill to create a pact ring, and we can't take any chances anyways," Sanaro quickly explained in an extremely long breath. Taking a breath in after the long exhale of an explanation, he looked to see Anna nodding to him, waiting for him to lead.

Quickly, Sanaro used his internal map in his mind to fond the correct direction towards Iselia, and began to head in the direction, Anna right behind him.

It was a matter of hours, considering the high speed and technology of the machines as well as the small scale of the world to reach Iselia. Landing in the forest a small ways away from the village, but a small ways closer towards the dwarf's house, the two decided it would be too much if they landed in the city itself.

The two were in a large and thick forest when they moved off of the machines, stretching their tense and sore muscles while bearing their surroundings at the same time. It seemed like a completely harmless place, as there merely trees everywhere and a small dirt path to lead them. The sun shone brightly through the canopy of trees, making small sparkles of light shine on the tan, dirt road and the green grass. Casually walking through the forest, Sanaro led the way, knowing exactly where he was while Anna was completely lost. She looked about, seeing the serene mood of the forest and the quiet peacefulness of it, and smiled. She enjoyed the Iselia forest, her tenseness disappearing in a flash. Annule sat at the spot where the vehicles, waiting patiently for the two to come back from the dwarf's house.

It was a quarter of an hour before Sanaro finally led the way out of the thick forest, and step into a wide area, surrounded by thick, grey stones all around it. A small, homely house was on the rock, with a vegetable patch and a wooden bench on one side while there was a small garden of flowers laid around a small, natural waterfall of water trickling down a series of worn stones, falling into a small pond which nurtured the flowers greatly. Upon approaching the bench, Anna saw that it was hand crafted, with designs carved in the side as well as on the hand rails. Vines wrapped around the thick arm rests, curling up and along the back of the bench. Considering the large amount of dust, she guessed that it was merely for decoration and not for use.

Sanaro ignored the beautiful setting a knocked on the door a few times, the sound of glove on wood resounding across the whole area. Sanaro had to wait very little as the door was quickly opened, and a small man had appeared, his dark eyes on Sanaro. In an instant, the dwarf recognized the former spy, and beckoned him in, smiling at Anna as well when she followed her companion.

"Sanaro…I haven't seen ya for about fifteen years…what brings ya to my humble abode, friend?" he asked as he walked to a furnace, picking up a chisel and began to carve out a figure from the half-chiseled wood that was on the top of the burner, which served as a countertop. Sanaro had made himself comfortable by plopping himself on a chair while Anna did the same, though not as casually as her companion.

"Hey, Dirk, I wanted to have you return the favor that I gave you all those years ago," the man replied, his answering a couple minutes after the dwarf had even asked the question. His interest piqued, the dwarf set down his crafting materials and set his full attention on the blonde knight. "I want you to craft a wedding band from white gold for Anna's fiancé." Nodding his head to the side to indicate Anna, Sanaro waited for a response, which he knew would be an affirmative.

"Aye, I would do it, but I don't have any white gold with me. I'm afraid ya have to use a different material," the dwarf replied. The twinkle in his dark eyes went out when he disappointed his friend, although he really didn't. He waited patiently as Sanaro began to look in the pack he had brought, and pulled out a jar with the said material, and smiled at the dwarf's wide eyes.

"Where'd ya get this stuff? This is worth a fortune!" he exclaimed, staring at the mushy metal from within the jar. Sanaro grinned even wider and passed the bottle to the dwarf, who examined it with complete scrutiny. "Aye, it's real, too."

"So will you do it?" the former spy asked. The dwarf looked up and nodded vigorously.

"Come back tomorrow, and you'll have a wonderful wedding band, Anna," the dwarf replied, inclining his head. Sanaro nodded and stood up, his smile still wide on his face. Anna did so as well, her excitement growing with each moment as they walked out, thanking the dwarf.

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Yuan and Kratos had the machines Yuan had made as well. Noishe decided to stay behind near the mine rather than ride in the machine carrier, fearing the worst of what could happen. Kratos, ignoring the protozoan as it left the area for but a moment, gave Yuan a questioning look when the blue haired Seraph said he had them, silently wondering if they were safe.

"After all, I did save the best for last," was the half elf's comment when Sanaro and Anna were gone. Grinning, he pulled out another wing pack and let the machines out, one of them red while the other was purple. Kratos eyed them with folded arms and a small smirk.

The two mounted their machines, and soon in the air, the continent below now downsized to about half of what it looked like just minutes before. Yuan, without a hesitation in the least, began moving northeast, leaving Kratos to follow him in a hurry.

"Where are you going, Yuan?" the slightly frazzled Seraph exclaimed, but kept his cool around him. The blue haired companion looked back, grinning at what he had to tell. Quickly, Yuan slowed down, reaching to the side of his friend so he could more discreetly tell him what he knew.

"I actually know where a dwarf is, his name is Altessa. He worked with Cruxis, but ran away quite a few years ago," he explained. Kratos' face became one of joy and relief with the news, and nodded, letting Yuan continue.

"He's near Ozette, so we're really close. He'll gladly make the pact ring free of charge, considering I helped bail him out of Cruxis," he leaned closer, a mischievous grin on his face. "He could also make your wedding ring as well…we could use the diamond you got for her, and make quite a nice band…though I'm not sure whether there'll be enough white gold to make two rings."

Kratos grinned, but moved his vehicle forward, wanting to hold his euphoria by himself, and not let Yuan see the giddiness that was inside of him. He sighed after he held a stupid grin for some time, and let himself fall back to Yuan, who waited patiently, understanding his reasons.

Within minutes after the conversation, Kratos and Yuan were hovering above Ozette, and dropped very slowly near the mountainous cave beside the small village. Turning off their machines and both jumping off of the cushioned chairs, the Seraphim entered the cavern, seeing a door, and Yuan knocked on it, his strength rattling the whole door rather than just make a small vibration.

"…Come in," a gruff voice called, sounding agitated. Kratos immediately felt he was walking on eggshells when the two entered, finding themselves in the presence of a dwarf in a blue robe tied at the stomach with a brown rope. He had small eyes, hidden under a mass of eyebrows, matching the white beard that was grown to his midsection. A tall, thin woman, who seemed unusually similar to Martel, was beside Altessa, her big, green eyes staring at them blankly, almost like a lifeless doll. The dwarf noticed the figure of Yuan, and smiled, relief evident in his gruff face.

"Ah, Yuan, what brings you here?" he asked, stepping forward kindly. Yuan took a couple steps forward, removing himself from the draft through the door, and beckoned Kratos to do the same, and the Seraph complied immediately, showing respect with his friend.

"We need you to craft a couple rings for us, Altessa," the Seraph replied, folding his arms after he moved a strand of blue hair from his face. The dwarf nodded, accepting the task silently as he moved towards his workplace, a sign that everyone should follow. He stood next to the furnace, turning it on as well as pulling out certain crafting materials before waiting silently to hear the requests.

"I need to make a pact ring for Origin, using this diamond and this white gold," Yuan explained. He handed the bottle of the soft metal and the large, hard gem to the dwarf, his small eyes noting the high quality of each material. Yuan came closer, dropping his voice to a soft speech as he silently pulled out another diamond. "I also need you to craft a wedding ring for Kratos' fiancé." Kratos blushed slightly at the word 'fiancé,' his cheeks, though made barely a color change even though the Seraph could feel the warmth in his cheeks. Keeping a straight face, however, he continued to listen to the conversation.

"I'll be happy to make the rings, Yuan. However, this will be a full payback for saving me…the pact ring will be quite a challenge," he noted. Yuan nodded, agreeing, and turned to leave with Kratos by his side.

"Thanks again, Altessa!" Yuan called. The dwarf made no answer, but began his work on the rings immediately.

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It was the next day for Anna and Sanaro as they got up from their beds, stretching and yawning. They were in Iselia, and Anna had fallen in love with the little town. It was simple, like Luin, and the many people there were almost always cheerful, talking of either their religion, or how the next Chosen will definitely save the world. Although knowing Martel isn't a goddess and that the Chosen was merely a scam to get a dead woman back to life, it was great for Anna to hear the positive comments all the same.

She woke up, smiling as the soft sunlight of dawn fell gently on her face, waking her like a small nudge, barely noticeable, but still there, silently beckoning you to get up and face the day. By the time she had gotten dressed and shouldered her pack, Sanaro was at the door of the inn, waiting almost impatiently for the woman to come down.

Together, they left the town, Anna smiling to the villagers as they smiled back, waving to her as the two left Iselia. A few feet from the village border, Annule waited, and stood up upon seeing his friends. The wolf wagged his tail, padding next to Sanaro, earning a nice scratch behind the ears.

The two made it to Dirk's house quickly, and Anna knocked on the door, excited to see the results that the dwarf had made with the white gold they had brought. Annule waited a couple yards away, deciding not to surprise the man with his presence. The small man opened the door, welcoming them immediately, and beckoned for them to sit at the small table.

"Hey, ya two…how are ya?" he asked, smiling as he knelt down and opened a cupboard fixed below a countertop. He pulled out a small box, covered with a soft cloth, making it look beautiful. Anna smiled wide, hunching her shoulders as she imagined what the band could possibly look like.

"We've been good," Sanaro replied as he grabbed the box gently from Dirk, and handed it to Anna, a smile plastered on his face as well. Quickly, she opened it, and almost gaped at the sight. The band was simple, yet radiant with such a purity that it made the ring seem holy in that way. Small, simple designs softly etched the side of the ring, invisible unless you tried to see them. It was soft and smooth, Anna discerned when she picked it up, and had almost no weight to it.

"This is wonderful!" she exclaimed, placing it back in the box, though her grin was as wide as could be.

"I'm glad ya like it," he replied, smiling as well. Anna closed her hand around the box, her heart feeling like it was about to swell up. _Oh, I'm so excited to show him this!_ She said in her thoughts as she drifted on Cloud Nine. _I can barely wait!_

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Kratos practically rushed downstairs from the inn in Ozette, reaching the door before Yuan even took a step down the small set of steps.

"Who put a nickel in you?" the blue haired mage asked, grinning as they left the house together after thanking the innkeeper. Kratos didn't respond, as he knew that Yuan was merely joking around, and the Seraphim both knew why the more solemn one was excited.

The damp and dark bearings of the village did not rain on Kratos' parade. He smiled, ignoring the dark trees and sad people with a gaiety that even scared Yuan. _IF he's this happy over a wedding ring…then I don't want to see him AT the wedding!_ Yuan, however, kept his thoughts to himself as the two left the dark village, and the blue haired Seraph pulled out his wing pack. The machines appeared like before, and the two mounted them, Kratos starting his machine almost immediately.

It was definitely not long before Kratos was at Altessa's door, knocking on it hard, but not crazily. The gruff dwarf called for them to come in, and Kratos complied happily, entering the abode of the skilled craftsman. Upon entering, Altessa held out the two rings, already in professional and tiny boxes and one wrapped with a red ribbon, contrasting beautifully with the dark blue of the box. Kratos took them, thanking him multiple times before handing the pact ring to Yuan. Eagerly opening the box with the ribbon, he saw one of the most beautiful rings in the world.

It was a ring made with shining silver, similar, but not the same as white gold. Small, intricate designs covered the side of the ring, quite beautifully noticeable. The diamond adorned onto the ring was cut and sized down to a reasonable size, though its beauty seemed peaked with its angles making different colored sparkles in it. The silver part of the ring wrapped halfway up the diamond, holding it in place in a clever and beautiful way.

Kratos was left speechless as he silently closed the box, half not believing that he could have possession over something so precious and amazing.

"It's wonderful…thank you," Kratos said to the dwarf, regaining his composure and nodding thankfully to him.

"I'm glad you liked it, Kratos. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish another client's work," he said, making it seem as polite as he could. "It was great seeing you, Yuan." The blue haired Seraph nodded back as he led Kratos out, who was filled with thoughts on how Anna would react to such a beautiful ring.

_I can't wait to propose,_ he thought, smiling as the door was closed behind him and the Seraph was faced with the outside. Suddenly, the man noticed so many more things than before; the birds chirped, the sky was a pretty hue of blue, and the world seemed so vibrant. Keeping his smile, he followed Yuan to the vehicles, clutching onto his box as if it were Anna's life.

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Mr.Who2123: There you guys go, a long, and hopefully cute chapter on the obtained rings.

Kratos: (Is reading) "…smiled with such a…GAIETY???" What kind of word is that?

Mr.Who2123: Sorry, just reading old books for school, two in fact at the same time from the 1800's, so they say "Gaiety" quite a bit…

Kratos: Humph…I do not smile with gaiety…

Mr.Who2123: Whatever…please review, so I can smile with "gaiety"!


	39. I Dare You

Mr.Who2123: Well, here's the next one.

Kratos: She owns nothing.

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_Sanaro and Anna were rising in the air, their machines making a loud noise with the magically powered engine running and the winds blowing fast around them. The former spy looked back at Annule, who was moving much, the dog not used to being flown rather than flying himself._

"_So, where do we meet when we're done?" Sanaro called, about fifty feet in the air, and still rising, to Yuan, whom was listening carefully._

"_How about Flanoir?" he called back, his hand cupping around his mouth to emphasize the volume of his voice through the loud noises. Sanaro nodded, hearing the name clearly, and zoomed off with Anna, the two beginning to talk amongst themselves in the sky._

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Sanaro and Anna had just moved through the crazy rift in between Tethe'alla and Sylverant, and stopped moving their floating machines, the shock of such a fast paced and bumpy portal just too much for them. Anna slouched in her cushioned chair, thankful that Yuan had installed them. Annule whined shakily in the back, and Sanaro managed a grin.

"To Flanoir," he suddenly said, sitting up straight now and pushing a few controls. Anna moved her back forward as well, ending her reclined position as she took hold of the steering bars. With only a quickly glanced for assurance that Anna was ready, Sanaro zoomed off to the northwest, where the snowy city existed.

The ride was slow and enjoyable, opposite of the frantic and quick ride through the colorful portal. The wind blew lightly on Anna's face, pushing her hair constantly back and moving with the air. Birds soared below, chirping their songs happily as the wind kept their bodies high in the sky. The machines rumbled softly, mixing with the birdsong.

They were almost completely different; the engine made a low, rambling noise constantly while the chirping birds were excited noises, terse and slightly capricious. It was fun for Anna to hear the harmony of those two sounds together as she hummed a tune of her own, adding to them.

It was a silent journey to Flanoir, except the sounds of the engine, birds, and Anna's soft humming. Sanaro enjoyed hearing the combination of the three, content in his own thoughts. Flanoir passed into view too quickly for the three, and soon, they were huddled near their cushioned chairs, the cold wind chilling their skin to the bone and causing their breath to appear in exhales, like puffs of mist appearing before them in instants, and disappearing as quickly.

"Man, it's cold," Anna muttered as the machines came to a slow halt, and the two steadily lowered them. They pushed the bars forward ever so slightly as the vehicles responded, and soon the two were off, their machines landed without any problem. Sanaro pulled out the wing pack, fingering it before using it to send the huge vehicles into the small device. Anna smiled at the sight; technology was so amazing to her. Annule sat next to the freezing woman, sensing her lack of warmth. Anna absently scratched his ears as he nuzzled her palm with his wet nose.

"Let's go," Sanaro said, beckoning the woman with his hand as the three began their short walk to the city in front of them. The gate leading to the front of the city held a sign in old wood reading "Flanoir." Ahead were about one hundred buildings, the roofs powdered with the soft snow, and contrasting with the dark colors of the houses. Anna walked inside the city, smiling at all the pretty snow, decorating everything that was outside.

"It's amazing! It's spring and it's snowing like it's in the deep winter!" she exclaimed. Her observations were cut short when she shivered, taking more notice of her freezing state. Sanaro touched her arm, and upon feeling it freezing, began to lead her to the hotel, which happened to be at the very front of the city.

"Welcome to the Flanoir Hotel!" a jolly voice sounded. The voice came from the left, where a desk and a man behind it were. He waved his arm, making the two feel welcome with his gestures. Sanaro strolled to the man, smiling as he pulled out his push of money.

"Hi, I want two rooms, each with two beds in them. Give me your highest quality," Sanaro requested, fingering through his bag of money and feeling the cold metal against his gloves.

"It'll be about five hundred Gald," the man answered, emphasizing extreme politeness upon seeing the large amounts of money that the former spy held.

"Here," he said, and handed him a large, silver coin. They were worth about one thousand Gald, but that was the lowest that Sanaro had. While working for Yggdrasil, Sanaro was given endless amounts of money so there would be very few obstacles in his way on a job. The former spy had just put away the large amounts of money, securing it in a secret pouch of his bag. The innkeeper, upon seeing the money, eyed it hungrily, quickly snatching it, and handing the two sets of keys. He thanked the two for staying while his eyes stayed on the magnificent coin.

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Yuan and Kratos just landed in the Flanoir area, their hearts a light as the snow was white. The Seraphim landed their vehicles, and Yuan put them in his wing pack, pocketing the small device. They made their way to the city, the scene of the city extravagant like always.

A bark and the sound of feet running made the two turn their heads to see a white and blue blur racing towards them. It was hard for Kratos and Yuan to see it was Annule, considering that the wolf blended almost perfectly with the snowy back round. Noishe noticed it was his canine friend, and raced towards the wolf, the two stopping close to each other and whining happily at each other.

"Well, we at least know Anna and Sanaro are here," Kratos said, beginning to walk towards the city, at Yuan's side while the canines followed after their greetings. Moving past the gate without a thought, Kratos turned towards the large Flanoir Hotel, entering quickly and abruptly. Yuan was now right behind him, and noticed the quick walking, guessing that Kratos was merely excited. Suddenly, the more comical Seraph pulled Kratos to the corner of the hotel, away from the innkeeper.

"Hey, Kratos, I have an idea," the Seraph began. He held a glint of humor in his eyes and a flicker of a smile on his mouth, though he tried to sound serious. "Why don't you propose to Anna tonight?" Kratos turned around, his eyes wide, and a smile on his face, though he hid it from the other Seraph.

"Why so soon?" Kratos asked, turning around after composing himself into the figure of calm, almost to a coldness, and lack of expression.

"I dare you," Yuan said, ignoring the question, and smiled as Kratos looked at him strangely, like the Seraph had grown an extra head. There was no response, but the Seraph continued to look at Yuan with scrutiny and confusion. "…Or are you…too chicken?" Yuan nearly laughed when Kratos turned his confused gaze into a glare.

"Yuan, just because I refuse something doesn't mean I'm-," he began, but was cut off by the much louder voice of Yuan.

"Chicken!" he exclaimed back. Kratos sighed, the peer pressure and his own interest at a conflict with each other, raging madly inside of him. Of course, with his own desire and Yuan's soft chicken noises, Kratos decided to accept the dare, relieved to hear the Seraph finish the noises.

"You can't go back now," Yuan sniggered, and nonchalantly walked to the counter to ask about Sanaro and Anna. Kratos sighed, decided to let his anger subside as he followed, now entangled in deep worries of the night.

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When Kratos and Yuan entered the room of Sanaro and Anna, the woman greeted her fiancé with a big hug and a small peck on the cheek, beaming at him.

"How was it?" Sanaro asked, sitting on the bed with his boots off, and were on the side of the long, blue sheets that were draped over the side of the bed. His boots gone, Sanaro let his bare feet swing freely, cooling off after being in the stuffy boots for such a long time.

"It was good. We got the pact ring, and we can save the worlds!" Yuan exclaimed. However, there was a slight cough to the side, which was Kratos looking a bit unnerved. Surprisingly, it wasn't about the dare, either.

"I have to end the pact, which could end my life," he said. There was silence after, but only Anna was shocked to hear this, as she had never heard him mention it.

"You might _die_? I won't allow it!" she exclaimed, looking at Yuan and Sanaro for hope for a way that Kratos wouldn't have to die. "There _has_ to be a way!" Yuan and Sanaro looked down, their faces pained and the sadness in their eyes saying enough. Anna looked up at her love, her eyes glistening with forming tears.

"Anna, I'm not sure what will happen, but we _have_ to do this, or everyone will suffer," he muttered softly, butting his hand on her warm cheek. Anna just looked up at him, the tears gathering, and eventually fell down her face when enough had gathered. Kratos made a smile of reassurance, taking off his hand, and instead bringing her into an embrace, feeling her shake with sadness. He patted her back softly, like a mother comforting a frightened child.

Sanaro and Yuan didn't even want to interfere as they watched, but the blue haired Seraph leaned close to Sanaro, whispering the "dare" conversation. Sanaro nodded, but didn't take his eyes off of the torturous sight. They both knew that Kratos had a huge possibly of dying, so they let the lovers savor their love.

"Um, we're going in the other room," Yuan said as he moved towards the door. Kratos let his embrace fade, and nodded. Sanaro followed, giving a sad wave, and left, closing the door behind him.

"Let's get some rest, Anna, it's late," he said. She nodded without a word, entering the bathroom and changing into warm pajamas before going to bed, fitfully wondering of what would happen to Kratos when the seal would break.

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"Are you sure they're going to propose?" Sanaro asked, sitting next to his blue haired partner in crime. They were on the balcony of Kratos and Anna's room, facing the side of the balcony, so if they stretched their necks to the left, the two could see the hotel room. However, the lights had long since gone out, and the two were waiting for something to happen.

"Kratos is more honorable than anyone in the world…he would never flake on a dare," Yuan replied stubbornly, watching carefully for movement. The two were hidden in the shadows, almost impossible to see, since the shadow of the roof fell over the spot they were in, and also because of the fact that they were in a tight corner.

A movement in the room made Yuan sit up straight and look harder into the room, his enhanced eyes searching incessantly for what had caused the movement. Suddenly, the balcony door had opened, and the Seraphim froze, fear of being caught rising. Out came the figure of Anna, her long, pale nightgown easily discernable, even at night. They dared not make a movement as their eyes followed her to the edge of the balcony. Her hands gripped the rails, and the woman let the wind blow in her face, the cold not seeming to bother her.

Another figure appeared in the night, evidently being Kratos. He wore a long shirt and pants, comfortable, but not too baggie. His hair seemed even more tumultuous than usual as he approached Anna.

"What are you doing out here so late?" he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. Anna nearly jumped at the touch, and turned quickly to see her love looking at her with a touch of concern glinting in his dark eyes.

"I'm just…thinking," she replied. Her voice seemed a little more optimistic than before, and her face was no longer troubled.

"I've been doing a lot of that recently as well," the Seraph replied, putting his hands on the rails just as Anna did. He leaned on them, so his face reached the same level as Anna, and the two looked at each other for a long time.

"Yeah, everything just seems so complicated now…," she said, finishing with a hearty sigh. Kratos nodded, completely understanding. There was a peaceful silence, as the two listened to the wind blowing and watched the white snow fall softly to the floor.

"Anna…" Kratos began, clearing his voice. Yuan and Sanaro, still undetected, leaned forward, preparing for the Seraph to fulfill his dare. "The past few years have been some of my happiest…And I found I was happy because of you." Anna turned to him, excitement shining in her eyes. _Could this be…?_ She trailed off in her thoughts, waiting for Kratos to continue. She watched bewildered as the Seraph silently dropped to a knee, taking hold of Anna's cold hand, and continued.

"I want you to be with me forever, Anna, so that we may be happy together. Anna, would you marry me?" he asked. Sanaro was at the point of jumping up and shouting "DO IT!", but refrained himself barely. Yuan had leaned so forward that his head was almost at his knees. Anna let out a breath, her head racing and her heart swelling with love. A smile, bigger than she could imagine, was on her face. Kratos waited impatiently, his head racing as well, fearing of what she could say while hoping she'd say yes.

"Kratos Aurion…I would _love _to marry you," she replied. The stunned Seraphim sat there, stunned for a bit before jumping to his feet and nearly suffocating Anna in a huge embrace.

"YEAH KRATOS!" the two lovers heard, and turned their heads to Sanaro, standing in the corner of the balcony. His face of jubilance turned to one of fear. "Oh crap. Run Yuan!" The Seraph complied with Sanaro, and the two hopped off the balcony, making a huge leap, and landing in their own. Kratos and Anna laughed before the woman was caught off by a deep kiss. They held themselves together for some time, loving each other's company and loving the wonderful moment. Silently, they returned to their hotel room.

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Mr.Who2123: WOOT! Kratos is getting married!

Kratos: YES!! FINALLY!!

Mr.Who2123: Wow, a little OOC, but that's okay. Well, you readers know the drill…

Kratos: Please Review!!


	40. Wedding

Mr.Who2123: 15 more chapters after this…it's kind of weird, seeing the story actually has an end to it after all. I never thought I'd finish this story…

Kratos: Well, all the better for me. She owns nothing.

Mr.Who2123: BEGIN!!

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It was strange, having it been a week so quickly. The engaged lovers were absolutely exhausted from the prodigious work that had taken place so far. Kratos actually needed to sleep after the fourth day of trying on a new suit, and finally convincing the minister to let him use the church for two hours. Two hours, that is how long the wedding will be. Just an hour to rejoice for the new couple. It was a short amount of time, but it was time, and that was enough for the surly Seraph.

Anna had began to love her bed in the Flanoir hotel every night when she'd come back, tired of looking at dresses or getting flowers, or anything that she did to make the wedding look all the nicer. It was strange, though; that the week of preparing had already begun to fade away. Yuan and Sanaro had also begun to become exhausted, but not as much as the couple themselves. They had merely bought some food and a couple gifts for the new couple, but it was somewhat difficult to go through the many shops around the world and find the perfect things that they wanted.

It was the night before the beloved day of the wedding, Anna so excited that she couldn't sleep. She looked at Kratos from the other side of the bed, seeing his face relaxed and composed as he slept, weariness gone from his face. She smiled at his form, and began to drift to sleep as well.

_This week has been so stressful for us…but all of it will be gone by tomorrow…I can barely wait!_ She thought before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

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Anna was alone on her room, getting ready for the wedding. She pulled on her white dress by herself, zipping it up in the back to secure it. She looked at her figure in the large mirror, positioned next to a bed. She saw the beautiful dress, the small headdress of white roses on her head, and her hair gently lay on her shoulders, simply down, but still beautiful. The young woman never imagined her wedding like this; preparing for it by herself, without any other person's help.

The way Anna had pictured her wedding preparation was with her mom helping her get ready, and having a couple of women to do her hair, or make the perfect dress for her. However, the young woman had prepared alone, but she was happy.

_Although this is different than I imagined, I don't mind, because as long as I'm with Kratos, I'm happy,_ she thought, smiling at her form. She made a small twirl in her dress, the white fabric lifting a couple inches from the quick spin. Her dress was simple, but she loved it all the same.

It was a long dress, to about her heels, and was not thick with fabric, and big from her waist down, but was not tight or slim either. The material was silk, soft to the touch, and lovely to look at. The top of the dress was sleeveless, but she had thin, white gloves that daintily covered her forearms. The chest embroidered with an ancient, elven design that was used for their weddings as well. It was white as well, and barely discernable in all the saintly cloth, but if you looked hard enough, you could see it.

Grinning at her dress, Anna fixed her headdress before grabbing the wedding band which Dirk had made, still in the small box. She left the room, closing the door gently, and was met by Sanaro. He seemed to enjoy wearing a tuxedo which he had bought, as he looked quite comfortable. It was dark blue, matching with his eyes, and had a slim, white tie over his white, collared shirt beneath the suit. He gently took Anna's arm, walking her out of the hotel room and into the outside. One would have thought that the two were getting married, but in actuality, he was just bringing her into the church, giving her some company to ease her anxiety.

They exchanged no words as they walked, Anna almost invisible as she mixed with the snowy scenery and the light day. A few people had stopped to look at the two, smiling at the sight and sighing happily. Sanaro opened the door of the old church, gesturing her in gracefully with his arm, which almost looked like a bow. Complying with a smile, Anna entered, where she was met with the beautiful scenery of the church.

White ribbon was on the walls and long benches, and a red carpet was laid at the doorway, stretching long and thin to the altar, where Kratos waited. When the two lovers locked gazes, they smiled dreamily at the other, both pleasantly surprised at each other's beauty. Kratos then absently straightened his black tie, loosening it slightly. Unlike the blonde Seraph, he hated suits, but he would do almost anything for his love.

He wore a simple black suit with a white collared shirt, but he had a strangely sensational glow to him. Although not specially dressed, the simplicity of the suit made him radiate with purity. He put his hand gently into his pocket, feeling the ring box before letting it fall to his side once more. Sanaro silently moved to a bench before Anna slowly strode up the carpet, excitement growing with each step. It seemed forever before she stepped onto the only slightly raised step of the altar, and the priest began to give the speech.

That priest was no other than Yuan, dressed in a matching, dark blue suit as Sanaro with a slim, white tie. He looked up briefly, smiling at the love that could clearly be seen from the two lovers. He began the speech, reading from the Book of Martel, despite the reality. To be happy, the blue haired Seraph edited the parts with "Martel" and "Goddess" by saying "The Summon Spirits" or "the Gods." Those were the actual gods of the world. They kept the balance in the world, each creating different aspects of the planets which became the harmonious and lovely land of Symphonia. However, by the twisted power of Mithos, that balance was corrupted, and the worlds became worse and worse until they became what they were today. That explains the constant snow in Flanoir and the constant heat of the Triet Desert.

The speech was long and repeated itself many times, but the Seraph kept reading, enduring the dreadful words. Kratos and Anna were complacent however, as they merely stared into each other's eyes, just happy to have this day finally come.

"…Do you, Kratos Aurion, wish to take Anna as your wife, and cherish her until the end of your days?" Yuan finally said. It felt like forever before those words were said, and the Seraph was almost not expecting them to come after awhile.

"I do," he instantly replied, slightly surprised that the sentence came and went so quickly. Yuan then turned to Anna, her eyes now on the blue haired Seraph as she waited for his words.

"And do you, Anna Irving, wish to take Kratos as your husband, and cherish him until the end of your days?" he asked. Anna smiled, sighing happily before replying with her own answer.

"I do, and I will cherish him even after the end of my days," she said. Kratos smiled even wider, the two staring each other with intensified love. Yuan was so captured by the lovely and beautiful sight that he nearly forgot to say the last line. When he did, his face was slightly red when he noticed that everyone was waiting on him.

"You may kiss the bride!" he finished, closing the book with a slam, and the bride and groom kissed, Anna with her hands around Kratos' neck while the other held his arms around her slim waist. They held there for a moment before releasing each other, quite reluctantly, and Anna beamed. She grabbed her ring box, fastened under a bundle of fabric on her waist, and opened it for him. Kratos' eyes widened at the beautifully simplistic ring, taking it and placing it on his right hand. He, in turn, grabbed his ring box from his pocket, opening it for her. She didn't just widen her eyes at the sight of the ring, Anna gasped, covering her shocked mouth.

Taking the ring out for her, Kratos gently held Anna's left hand, when she had put her hands down once more, and slid the ring up her slim finger, nestling comfortably there. Anna kissed Kratos once more, beaming with love and gratitude.

_This wedding it definitely different than I thought it would be, but it is way better than I could've imagined,_ she thought. The two finally took each other's hand and walked down the altar, being ambushed by the only four guests at the wedding: Noishe, Annule, Yuan, and Sanaro. Each offered their congratulations, all of them perfectly enjoying the perfect day. To show a congratulation, Noishe and Annule simultaneously howled, creating a simple harmony, but a pretty sound nonetheless.

"Thank you, you silly dogs," Anna said, going to her knees and giving each dog a nice scratch on the head. The canines looked like they were smiling when she pet them, their tongues hanging and their mouths opened slightly up to form an arc.

"We finally got you two together!" Sanaro exclaimed, patting both Kratos and Anna from behind on the shoulders. They blushed slightly, but shook it off, smiling at the complacent man.

"Yeah, Kratos is a dunce in affections, so he needed a little jump start," Anna added, laughing at Kratos' confused stare.

"I am not a dunce," he retorted, though he held a smile. Yuan practically burst out laughing.

"Yeah you are, Kratos…remember when we were on our journey in the Kharlan war, and you were the only one who didn't know Martel and I were in love when I proposed to her. You thought kissing was like…normal behavior for two friends or something!" he replied. He began laughing at the Seraph's former stupidity in the "love section."

"It's not that bad," he replied, but no one heard as they were laughing at the surly groom.

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Mr.Who2123: Sorry for the lack of updates…I've just been sidetracked…I got to drive a car for the first time today! I would've finished earlier, but I'm kind of busy with learning to drive. I also got an iPod for Christmas, and just configured it a week ago, and I've been pretty obsessed over it, and had almost no time for True Pain…

Kratos: Alright, you don't need to tell me your life story…

Mr.Who2123: (Ignoring Kratos) Oh, and if you guys ever wondered how I got that line for Anna, when she said, "I do, and I will cherish him even after the end of my days"? I got that from my religion, as we believe in love even _after_ death, so, I decided to incorporate that into True Pain, as it seemed so right to do that, seeing it as Anna dies, so Kratos knows she loves him even though he kills her. I just liked it.

Kratos: …Please review, readers…and Mr.Who2123, did you even hear me?

Mr.Who2123: I also thought it would be…(Trails off for hours…)


	41. Bad Day

Mr.Who2123: Well, now that Kratos and Anna are married, we are officially almost done!

Kratos: Well, Tales of Symphonia does not belong to Mr.Who2123, but you guys already know that.

Mr.Who2123: Then why are you saying this?

Kratos: Because you're forcing me to…

Mr.Who2123: Oh…yeah…well, let's begin!

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The new couple, each now as happy as can be, were now getting ready to end their objective that had taken a year or two reach. However, there was one slight tension between them as Kratos shouldered his pack and Anna united the belt around her waist, letting the sides click into each other. They both knew Kratos had an eighty percent chance of dying when releasing the seal with Origin, and from there, Sanaro would need to make the next pact with Origin, since he was the only other companion that could wield a sword properly. Yuan had a giant, double sided blade, which made him incompatible, and Anna didn't fight at all, so it was then up to the former spy to reunite the worlds.

Therefore, because of the circumstances, Sanaro was feeling a bit of tension as well. He became more isolated, wondering about the future battle that would take place. Currently, the group was in the sky, flying on the newly named Rhieards towards Heimdall. The former spy gripped the steering bars, his knuckles white under his armored gloves. It would have been just to say he was just as worried about his success as Kratos' possible death.

"Sanaro, you need to relax," a voice said from his right. It took most of the former spy's wits to not jump and grab the handle of his blade that he was so accustomed to when being surprised. He looked up to see Kratos himself, his wedding band on his left hand glinting in the sunlight as it gripped the steering bars as well. Sanaro sighed, merely nodding as an answer.

"How are you so calm?" he finally asked, looking up at him. Kratos looked forward a moment. His eyes were narrowed and filled with a fire that he had never seen before. His auburn hair was pushed back, showing the Seraph's full face, which was in a contented manner; not too stressed, but not relaxed either.

"I'm not quite sure, myself, but I believe it's because I _know_ I have to do this, and it cannot be avoided," he replied slowly. Sanaro looked down at his own hands, holding onto the bars. Upon his middle finger was the pact ring, the diamond stud glistening brightly just like Kratos'.

"Yeah…I guess," he finally voiced, but the former spy wasn't even sure that the Seraph had heard him. It was a minute or two after that the thick forests of the Ymir Forest came into sight, and the slight tension had become tenfold. It seemed even the rushing winds and loud engines couldn't have blocked the deadly silence that made their ears ring with nothingness and their hearts pound harshly, yet noiselessly in their chests.

The group found a clearing in the middle of the forest, and finding it big enough, they slowed their machines and lost altitude. The engines spluttered, suddenly losing most of their power when the power was turned down. Although there was the unceremonious noise of the engine, the Rhieards landed quite steadily, and the group jumped off of their machines. Yuan pulled out his wing pack, and upon opening it, the four Rhieards disappeared in a flash of smoke, and the wing pack was full. Closing it once more, Yuan pocketed the small container with a frown.

"It looks like we get to begin our journey to the end of our long adventure," he remarked. Everyone agreed silently with the nods of their heads, all of them anxious. But with all their worry for Sanaro and Kratos, the Seraphim lost their guards, and failed to notice a few spies flying by…

One was Pronyma, hiding behind a bush with an intercom and camera in her hand. She lifted the surprisingly slim camera, and took a picture of the companions, oblivious to her and three spies backing her up.

_I'll get them back for making a fool of me,_ she muttered in her thoughts. Clenching her fist, she waited for a reply when she sent the picture to her leader very, VERY far away.

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Yggdrasil was at a computer, eagerly awaiting the pictures his subordinate had sent. In the next instant, a picture of the three betrayers and the ranch escapee came on his screen, each of them talking, but facing away from the bush in which the picture was taken. Smiling deviously, he lifted the intercom to his mouth and spoke.

"Pronyma, go take a break. I'll take care of them myself," he said through it. The spluttering answer was expected, as Yggdrasil's smile became even more evil.

"S-Sir! Thank you, sir!" was the response, and the Desian leader signed out.

"You will all pay dearly for your crimes…especially Sanaro," he muttered, making a glare at the picture before disappearing in a flash of light and feathers, a symbol of holiness, though he was completely opposite.

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Sanaro stopped, dead cold in the middle of the forest path. The abrupt movement made everyone become tense as they focused on the former spy. Without a word, Sanaro put a finger to his lips, and the group responded efficiently, waiting for whatever the former spy had noticed. Suddenly, Kratos and Yuan felt a considerable amount of mana welling behind them, and whirled around to see Yggdrasil floating there with a smirk on his face.

"It's so lovely to see all of my greatest friends after so long," he voiced, his grin twisted into a malicious hate mixed with the grief that his friends had inflicted upon him. The three Seraphim drew their weapons; Kratos and Sanaro their swords while Yuan his giant, double sided blade. Anna moved backwards, led by Noishe and Annule who ushered her out of harms way.

"Leave, Mithos, and we won't have to kill you," Kratos growled fiercely, his flamberge glowing bright.

"Now, now, Kratos, all I wanted to do was bring you back to Derris-Kharlan so we can negotiate something," he responded. None of the Seraphim took it, as they stayed there, weapons poised for battle. There was a moment of silence before Yggdrasil unfolded his arms, and let light mana charge in his fists. "Hm, well, I guess can all perish in HELL instead!" The Cruxis leader knelt on the floor quickly, punching the ground with all his might. The floor cracked as tremors were sent through the ground, and tremendous light mana was sent towards the three Seraphim. Immediately, they dodged the blow, releasing their wings to move out of the trees and out of the way quickly enough.

Yuan, seeing the blow had about ended, raised his blade, and flew straight towards his former friend, thrusting his weapon hard against him. Thunder mixed with light as Yggdrasil made a temporary light sword, and swung it at Yuan as soon as the attack ended. The blue haired Seraph dodged it, but didn't attack again as both Sanaro and Kratos came spiraling from either side. Their swords held surges of power as they both yelled their unison attack.

"LIGHT SPEAR JUDGMENT!" they both yelled. They collided into Yggdrasil with a huge force, larger than the outburst that Yggdrasil had made as his starting attack. As they hit their target, one giant ray of light came straight from the heavens and fell on top of the Cruxis Leader. Screaming in pain, he fell to one knee, his body barely taking the sheer amounts of combined power.

Yuan frowned however, upon seeing the image.

"He shouldn't be this easy…," he said. Suddenly, two more Yggdrasils appeared out of nowhere, and the hurt one became fully rejuvenated in an instance. "Me and my big mouth." Instantly, each Seraph fought of a splitting image of Yggdrasil. Kratos exchanged sword blows with his, and ducked under a wind thrust quickly created by his attacker. Making his own spell, Kratos made a brown magic circle, quickly releasing a Grave attack. Sharp spires were thrust up from the ground, and the Yggdrasil was hit perfectly.

The pointed edges hit his back, and constantly made deep wounds in his back as they kept shooting from the ground. Taking a moment to make a sigh, Kratos looked at the Faerie Ring that Anna had given him so long ago. He smiled at it, and then looked back at his defeated image of Yggdrasil. The form turned into one of a dead angel instead of Yggdrasil, and the Seraph sighed. _I wonder which one of us has the real Yggdrasil,_ he wondered, and left the dead corpse.

Yuan was faring just as easily as Kratos. He thrust his double sided blade against Yggdrasil's head, making a huge dent in his face from the crushing blow. The fatal crush on his head instantly killed Yggdrasil, but the form turned into one of an angel, the head of a soulless half elf who accepted Yggdrasil's plan. Sighing, he looked to the right, where Sanaro was fighting off Yggdrasil…the _real_ one.

The former spy jumped away from a Prism Sword spell, watching the sword send bursts of fatal light energy into an entrapped circle that he was not, fortunately, in. Lifting his blade once more, Sanaro made a feigned slash, tricking Yggdrasil and lightly ripping his side. The Cruxis leader grunted, feeling the blood trickle down his white clothes. Rage intensified, Yggdrasil disappeared, and reappeared behind the expecting warrior. He turned around and parried the blow of the light sword which Yggdrasil had created. However, Sanaro did not expect Yggdrasil to let his weapon disappear and create a magic circle that had been charged already. Too late to notice, Sanaro was stuck in Yggdrasil's strongest move: Indignation Judgment.

Sanaro lifted his blade, ready to cast a Guardian at the right moment, though he knew it would do little. Quickly, and before Sanaro even knew it, giant bolts of thunder had come down on the edge of the circle, and kept shooting down, but intensified with each moment. As the final and strongest blow came down on the already stricken warrior, Sanaro sent a Guardian around himself. As he expected, it did little, and Sanaro was struck nearly full force by Yggdrasil's rage. It was surprising and disappointing to Yggdrasil when Sanaro did not scream, but merely fell to one knee, gasping for breath.

"Humph, you are strong, Sanaro, but can you survive this next attack?" the Cruxis leader asked rhetorically, and made another magic circle. Creating a Prism Sword, Yggdrasil sent it at the defenseless former spy. Sanaro closed his eyes, waiting for the impact.

The former spy felt a burst of wind and a grip around his torso, and opened his eyes immediately. He saw that Kratos was holding the wounded warrior, and had saved his life. Muttering a first aid, Kratos sent a surge of healing mana to Sanaro, and stopped moving. Silently, he put him down and left to finish off Yggdrasil with Yuan. Reclining his head, Sanaro sighed and cursed himself for being so weak.

_I guess I still can't beat him…I keep holding back even after I hate his guts…,_ he thought pessimistically, looking to the area Kratos had left through. _I need to finish him off._ Slowly, the Seraph lifted himself, muttering a First Aid as well. He felt his power returning, but he was still relatively weak. Silently, Sanaro left the area where he had been safe, and made his way towards the fight.

Kratos and Yuan were faring well against Yggdrasil, each of them sending simultaneous blows to keep him on the defensive. Kratos sent a surge of energy in his sword, and spiraled up as he sliced Yggdrasil, landing perfectly while the Cruxis leader was sent high in the air. Quickly, he pointed his sword at the airborne Seraph and shot a blast of mana at him. Quickly, Yuan muttered a thunder spell, and it collided with the pure blast of mana.

"Thundering Spear Cannon!" they both yelled. The thunder blast hit Yggdrasil square in the torso, sending the electricity through his body. The cruxis leader grunted in pain, but broke free from the attack, and sent a spell himself.

"Indignation!" he yelled, casting the spell in an instant, and still airborne. Because of the long charge time of Indignation, Yuan and Kratos made it out quickly, but didn't know that Yggdrasil expected this. Another charged spell came from his hand as he balled it into a fist and sent the blow towards the Seraphim.

"Thunder Prism!" he yelled. This spell was almost exactly opposite from Indignation. Sure, it was still thunder, but it sent thousands of small jolts of thunder while Indignation used one, almighty blow to take out the enemy in one hit. Also, Thunder Prism had an incredibly quick rate of attack, and as soon as the Cruxis leader cast the deadly spell, it had already started its attack. Kratos and Yuan were struck with the powerful spell, both of them yelling in the pain. They shakily got up after the attack, though, and kept going.

"Thunder Blade!"

"Grave!"

This was a deadly combo, as Yggdrasil would have been caught by both sides of him, up and down. The Cruxis leader lithely disappeared and sent a tremor and a surge of mana into the floor just as he had done to start the fight. Quickly, Kratos and Yuan scattered away like rabbits upon seeing a deadly wolf. Using their wings once more to move deftly away from the blow, Kratos and Yuan breathed heavily as they formed their next plan with much haste. The surlier Seraph looked down to see the tremors beginning to end, and he put his hand to his chin to think.

"Kratos!" Yuan yelled, but was cut off by a hand over his mouth. The said man turned around and saw Yuan held by two angels, each of them holding a sword at his neck. He felt a presence behind him as well, but Kratos was too late. Three angels caught hold of Kratos; their heartless and merciless ways making it impossible for him to move. Slowly, Yggdrasil flew up from the forest canopy, chuckling at his captured friends.

"Wonderful…now I can make sure you never leave again, Kratos," he said. His mouth covered, Kratos had no choice but to glare at the leader with all the rage he held.

"And I'll make sure that you'll day this day!" a familiar voice yelled from behind the Cruxis leader. Sanaro was charging at Yggdrasil, his green wings flaring and his sword pointed at the leader. He disappeared, just like Yggdrasil could, and kicked the Cruxis leader high in the air. Throwing his sword after the completely stunned leader, he put his hands together, focusing his strongest attack.

"Spirit of Death, send this betrayer of life into a frozen hell, and may he feel the pain of those he has inflicted upon," he murmured, as he focused his energy.

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Annule felt a shiver of power leave the wolf as it suddenly collapsed to the floor, almost too weak to stand. Anna and Noishe, who had been running with him, immediately stopped in concern as they checked on the wolf. Annule was completely fine physically, but his energy had suddenly left him like it had been sucked from him in an instant.

Noishe felt the draining energy, and looked instinctively to the fight that the Seraphim were in. The protozoan whined, feeling a drastic amount of power welling in the area. Bringing his attention back to hic fellow canine, Noishe saw Annule wearily standing and making his way further, despite the sudden weakening.

Anna, as confused as anyone would be, merely followed the wolf slowly, placing a hand on Annule's head and rubbing it affectionately.

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The whole area in the sky became suddenly cold, as if the undead were coming back to haunt the evil Cruxis leader, and their cold bodies had made even the lifeless angels shiver. Air gushed from what seemed nowhere, keeping Yggdrasil in the high altitude. Sanaro's sword was floating as well, and glowing with a green and blue aura. Kratos took one glance at the blade, and knew that the sword was creating the immense elemental changes.

The gusts of winds turned fierce, circling around the sword. In no time, a huge tornado had formed, at least ten times larger than Yggdrasil, and kept the Cruxis leader swirling in circles in the air. Closing his eyes, Sanaro was finishing his attack as he prepared for the second phase, which would need to once more take as much energy as it had the first. The tornado took so much energy that it had weakened Annule to his defenseless and slow state, and Sanaro would need to find more of the energy to properly kill Yggdrasil.

Looking down, Sanaro saw the wide fields and trees, and found his source of mana. Closing his eyes once more, Sanaro sent the next stage of the spell at Yggdrasil. Small shards of ice appeared, mixing into the tornado quickly. Immediately, the shard and irregular pieces cut the Cruxis leader continuously, and the tornado seemed to downsize as the ice appeared. The magnitude of the storm, however, grew tenfold as Yggdrasil as helplessly thrown around.

Sanaro lifted a weary hand, his fingers stretched and palm facing towards the tornado. He began to finalize his attack as he slowly closed that fist, and the storm became smaller and smaller, yet stronger and stronger. Suddenly, the former spy closed his hand, and the storm disappeared altogether. However, it was replaced by a giant, ten meter wide block of ice, with many jagged edges, containing the thrown about and hurt Cruxis leader. In the instant that the ice had formed, it suddenly blew up, and ice went flying everywhere.

Yggdrasil fell, unconscious, down from the sky, finally released from the spell. The angels, seeing their dying leader, let go of Kratos and Yuan, and caught Yggdrasil. However, Kratos and Yuan had no time to cheer as Sanaro had also fallen out his consciousness, and his wings were disappearing as his strength left him. Quickly, the Seraphim caught the former spy, each holding a shoulder.

"Sanaro!" Kratos yelled, slightly shaking the warrior. Slowly, yet surely, the Seraph opened his eyes, looking about wearily. Noticing Kratos, he looked away from him as he bit his lip.

"Kratos…he…he broke the ring," he muttered as he sighed. Yuan stared wide eyed at Sanaro as he looked at the warrior's finger. Sure enough, the diamond had been sliced off, somewhere during the fight. "I…I couldn't beat him, either." Yuan looked down to see the angels had left the area to take care of the dying Cruxis leader, and had forgotten about the Seraphim.

"Sanaro…," Kratos murmured, seeing the tears in his friend's eyes forming.

"I messed all of this up…and now, we can't save the world," he continued to murmur. Kratos shook his head, with a reassuring smile on his face. Slowly, he and Yuan began to lose altitude as they dropped softly through the canopy of trees, and landed in a clearing of trees. They put Sanaro against a tree as the warrior recovered his energy.

"Sanaro, we can go see Altessa again," Kratos said. Suddenly, Yuan interjected with a shake of his blue head.

"No, Pronyma had spied on us, and found Altessa…so, there is currently no one who can make a Rune Crest at the moment," he said. Kratos looked in shock at his friend, and then cursed.

"We were so close!" he exclaimed. He threw a fist against a nearby tree, which suffered the full force of the Seraph. The tree gave in, and a huge crack was in that tree, displaying the Seraph's large amounts of power.

Sanaro sighed, looking about the forest. There was no longer anything living within a couple mile radius, due to his attack.

_I took the mana from all the living creatures in a two mile radius, and killed them all…does that make me…as bad as Yggdrasil?_ He wondered. The sound of birdsong was gone from his ears as he let sleep take over him.

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Mr.Who2123: Yeah, there was a lot of events in the end that were but barely explained…sorry, but I felt this chapter was long enough, and didn't really need anything else.

Kratos: Please review.


	42. Curse of the Crystals

Mr.Who2123: Poor group…well, after that exciting thriller of a chapter…we are winding down to a filler of a chapter. …OMG that rhymed!

Kratos: (Sigh) You kind of get used to her stupidity after awhile. Well, anyways, she doesn't own Tales of Symphonia.

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There was a grieving silence surrounding the group as they huddled around the single source of light and heat for miles. Each stared into that fire, seeing different images, yet looking at the same thing. The bright orange flames danced, creating moving shadows across everyone's forlorn faces. The wood crackled and broke under the intense heat occasionally, but there was never a reaction from the group as they were each filled with deep thought.

Anna was tired, and rested on her husband's shoulder, eventually falling asleep and leaving the three Seraphim to look about each other, still grieved. Moving himself slightly so Anna's head was on his chest, he sighed, but it was barely audible.

"What are we going to do? We are at stagnation as it is," Yuan voiced, looking down at his clasped hands. The thumbs moved idly as he began to recall the old times he had with Martel; a sad, nostalgic smile came upon his face.

"I couldn't kill him…even after it took all the mana from every animal in a mile radius…I'm just not strong enough," Sanaro added, though he seemed to talk more to himself than the others. Kratos looked to his friend with a fierce glare.

"Sanaro, everyone fails at one point or another, that's a given. What matters most in life is how you deal with those failures, so stop your complaining," he snapped. Sanaro's head went up to look at Kratos' fierce glare, and the former spy faltered his gaze.

"Alright," he replied, repressing a deep sigh. Yuan continued to look into the fire, seeing himself and Martel so happy, and seeing all their ambitions, and then those ambitions and goals was suddenly shut away when she had died. Yuan chanced a glance at Kratos, watching him put an arm around her waist so he could embrace her as they sat together.

"Kratos," Yuan suddenly began, looking from the bright flames to look his friend in the eyes. He was given answer by the acknowledgement in his dark eyes, and the blue haired Seraph continued. "I want you and Anna to settle while Sanaro and I finish saving the world. Martel and I…we never had a chance to settle down, and I greatly regret it…so I don't want you to make the same mistake."

Kratos looked deep into his friend's blue eyes, and understood he was right. The surly Seraph could see the remorse and knowledge kept inside of him, and Kratos agreed with a nod.

"Just make sure that you get me when you're almost done," Kratos said. Looking over to Sanaro, he saw a smile and a nod from him, accepting the new plan.

"We will," he added, to emphasize his uplifted spirit and acceptance of the new plan. "And we'll kill Yggdrasil once and for all." Yuan nodded with his accomplice, and then the campsite became silent once more. However, the dark and pernicious quietness had dispersed, and an air of hope surrounded them all, including the formerly saddened Sanaro. And unlike the former silence, this new one ended early, when Yuan came with a question.

"Where are you going to settle, Kratos?" he asked. The strong, bright orange flames had died to a deep and bright crimson, and the fire had downsized quite a bit. Looking east, Sanaro noticed the sun was close to lifting up out of the mountains.

"I want to go near Lake Umacy…no one ever goes there, and it is such an unperturbed area," he replied, reclining his head to look at the stars. The twinkling dots were faltering in the presence of the approaching sunlight, and were beginning to disappear in thin air.

There was no response to the Seraph's answer, as they silently waited for dawn to come.

A piercing scream filled the Seraphs' ears, as they each covered them and winced at the noise. The source of this sound was no other than Anna, writhing in pain. Kratos quickly began to cradle her in his arms, unsure of what to do. With his sharp eyes, the Seraph noticed the Cruxis Crystal was furthering its effect on the poor woman's body. Yuan and Sanaro looked to their friend in horror as the screaming ended and Anna's contorted face began serene once more.

"Her Cruxis Crystal is taking effect," Sanaro whispered. Yuan nodded, and Kratos was at a loss for words. He just kept holding his wife tightly in his arms, cursing the crystal which pained her so.

"We have to do something about it," Yuan added, looking sidelong to Sanaro, who looked back at him with an air of fear and shock.

"We need a Rune Crest…we can't take any chances if she had a normal Key Crest on her," Sanaro added. "But where can we find a capable dwarf?"

"And things were beginning to get better!" Kratos yelled, his eyes glistening with moisture as he continued to cradle her, his head against her and his hand caressing her long, brown hair. It was truly a sorrowful sight, and Sanaro had to look down in fear of being caught with tears in his eyes as well.

"Cold the dwarf you know in Sylverant make it?" Yuan asked, hope glistening in his eyes. Sanaro shook his head, which was still pointed to the dirt floor.

"I bet that ring itself was the most he could do at his skill level," he replied sadly.

"Anna…please don't die," Kratos muttered softly, and silently, dawn came upon the group as they stared into the dying embers of the flames.

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Pronyma walked tirelessly back and forth, watching the medical angels in their work. They had to use a constant Healing Circle around the Cruxis leader to keep his mana from running out and killing him in an instant. This healing circle was sustained by five angels as three more used their abilities to fix organs and seal skin back to normal without having any scars show when they finished. It was a grueling job, due to the need of full concentration and machine scrutiny. If there was one mess up in the fixing of an organ, it could easily burst of dysfunction in any given time.

Pronyma finally trudged to her leader, observing the work carefully with her sharp eyes.

Her face was one of deep anxiety for her leader, as she observed the dismantled body.

_Who could make a move this powerful without the Eternal Sword?_ She wondered, as she didn't know about Sanaro, who Yggdrasil kept secret to everyone except himself. _What if he doesn't win against the betrayers?_ Her mouth turned into a hard pressed smile at her thoughts.

_Yggdrasil would have killed me if he heard that,_ she added. Slowly, Pronyma stepped back from her leader, and left for the dungeon. Walking quickly, the Desian group leader opened the hidden black door on the stone wall. Her shoes made loud echoes against the floor which was not padded with its usual thick and embroidered fabric.

"I'm going to get rid of these betrayers by myself," she said softly, and turned right to a particular cell. "Altessa." The name she voiced was much louder than the softer she had made before, and. It was added to the echoes she created with her feet.

Opening the gate lock, she peered inside, her eyes barely making out a figure in the inky blackness. She stepped forward, grinning maliciously.

"So, dwarf, I want you to tell me everything you know about Kratos, or I'll kill you here and now," she said to the figure. Her arms folded across her chest, she waited. Passed by were a few minutes off silence, and Pronyma frowned. Lifting a hand, she produced a bit of light magic. There, in the cell…was not Altessa, but a pillow placed on the bench to look like it was the dwarf. Cursing, Pronyma slammed the gate closed and ran out the cell.

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Altessa was inching alongside the cut stone walls of Derris Kharlan, his feet moving to the left as he approached a large set of stairs. So far, he was good, but he knew in a matter of time, discovery of his escape would be known.

Oh, and how right was that dwarf…just as he was out of sight and hopping down the stairs, Pronyma burst from the dungeon, her face full of rage.

"Get the escaped dwarf!" she screamed. Of course, Altessa heard this statement, and hopped quite a bit faster. He scrambled for the warp pad when he reached the bottom, and entered the door that held it. Inside, there was a large machine and an active warp pad in the middle of the room. Quickly stepping on it, he set his coordinates for Ozette and let the mana powered machine take him.

_They would never suspect that I would return to my home,_ he thought, a grin on his face. Wiping his brow, he sighted in relief, and disappeared the next instant. Just as he left, Pronyma entered the room, her face still contorted with rage. Looking about the room with a glance, she slammed the door and continued to search for the dwarf, but her search had already become in vain.

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Mr.Who2123: Just like I said, it's just a filler. Well, at least it's over with now!

Kratos: Please review.


	43. Settling Down

Mr.Who2123: Well, here's the next update!

Kratos: She owns nothing.

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Kratos, Anna, Yuan, Sanaro, Noishe, and Annule all sat at a table in a restaurant, talking of ties now gone, and also of plans for the future. The canines were lying down on the floor, forlornly watching the food of which their friends ate. Of course, they had already eaten their own dish of the same food that the others had, but they were still hungry. Anna noticed Noishe looking at a piece of meat, and she "accidentally" knocked it off the table so Noishe could gobble it quickly. Sanaro was doing little better than she. He "bumped into the basket of rolls on accident" and the canines fluttered to the area. Of course, Kratos and Yuan saw their intentions, and merely shook their heads, smiling.

"So, your house is supposed to be finished tomorrow, huh," Yuan said, looking to his long time friend after chuckling over the spilt rolls. Kratos nodded, a smile on his face. "Must be great to know you'll have a home."

"Yeah, but aren't you going to create a base for you and Sanaro…a place where you can retreat and be unseen if needed?" Kratos asked back. Yuan nodded back.

"Sanaro and I are going to recruit soldiers and train them to fight against angels…we're going to be leaders of a rebel group," he added. A faint smile came to his face. "I'm finally going to be in control, and not have to follow anyone's orders anymore."

"Yeah, but make sure _not_ to go cuckoo with power and try to revive Martel as well," Anna added, a serious look on her face. However, Yuan just chuckled some more and nodded, along with Kratos who was shaking his auburn hair.

"If I get crazy, Sanaro can just knock some sense into me," he replied. A confused Sanaro, who had not been in on the conversation, looked at Yuan when he heard his name.

"What about me?" he asked.

"You'll knock some sense into me if I go power hungry, right?" he asked back. Sanaro looked at Yuan as if he head just grown a head and nodded slowly.

"…And, how did you get onto this topic in the first place?"

"Long story,"

"…Figured," Sanaro then returned to his "dropping of his food…on accident of course." The group continued to make merry chatter, each of them not faltering their smiles at all. The group was in the Luin inn, and had reserved the night just for them so they could talk freely and without others intruding. They had also chosen to get the food themselves, so waiters wouldn't have to come out and hear an important part of their conversation. It had been a month and half since they stayed there, as they waited for Kratos and Anna's humble abode to be finished. All the furniture had been bought by Sanaro and Yuan had worked through all the payments and contracts with the workers who were building it.

"Wow…look at the time…," Sanaro after a long time, looking at an old, magi technologic clock stood. It was one of the few items that took almost no mana, and actually survived the Ancient Kharlan War. Kratos glanced at it, and seeing the time, nodded.

"We should get to bed," he added. Reluctantly, the group scooted out of their wooden chairs and placed their napkins on their eaten plates. It was with such a saddened spirit that they began to leave because they knew they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time. Anna and Kratos left the inn dining room first, and Sanaro and Yuan waited a moment before following them.

"I'm going to miss them, those two," Yuan said, looking at the stairs which his friends had just left through.

"Yeah…," he replied. Then, noticing the serious glance in his friend's eyes, Sanaro's face became solemn. "What is it?"

"…I don't want Kratos to suffer anymore," he replied, looking down. "I want to settle this without him having to worry anymore."

"Yeah, but how are we going to do that? Kratos is the seal himself," Sanaro replied.

"I don't know, but I just want him to have a peaceful life with Anna," he continued.

"Then, we should start looking for a way when we leave tomorrow," Sanaro said, and that ended the conversation. Together, they walked up the stairs to their own room.

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Anna hummed softly as she looked ahead to the dirt path. Trees lined the sides of the path, looming over the group as they moved to Lake Umacy. They were full of anxiety as the sparkling lake began to come into view, and hidden in the trees was a speck of the cottage showing, but it was so small that no one could discern it.

"I'm so excited!" the woman exclaimed when she saw the clear water far ahead. She raised her arms, as if cheering, but put them down quickly once more to balance herself on Noishe. Kratos smiled and walked next to her to quickly give Anna a hug. Suddenly, Kratos felt himself lifted, and the surly Seraph widened his eyes. In the next instant, he was sitting on Annule, who had a huge canine grin on his face. The wolf dashed ahead quickly, and Noishe with Anna on his back followed, tail wagging the whole way.

Kratos smiled at the rash move, and let himself relax as the lake came closer and closer more quickly than before. He turned around to see Anna behind him, a look of surprise on her face from the quick movements of the canines. Wind blew her hair behind her as well as in her face, but she smiled after a moment, enjoying the breezes.

"I'll race you!" she exclaimed from behind, and grabbed a hold of Noishe's sides. The protozoan, understanding her intention, sped up dramatically, and passed Annule and Kratos with ease. Of course, the Seraph was too competitive to let this opportunity pass by, and urged the wolf to race as well.

Together, the couple raced faster and faster, constantly looking sidelong to see what their position was or who was ahead. It had been a long time since Kratos felt so at ease and calm, that he loved the moment even more. A smile on his face, he urged the wolf a little faster, causing him to be ahead by a foot. He closed his eyes for but a moment, hearing the sound of canine paws on dirt and the wind rush past his ears before opening them again.

There, ahead of them, was the lake, now extremely closer and larger than before. Kratos yelled a "halt" to Annule, and the wolf obeyed immediately. It skidded to a stop, leaving dust behind the wolf. Thanking Annule, Kratos hopped off of the wolf, and walked to the edge of the lake. It was beautiful, glistening in the full brightness of the sun, and there was no movement in it. However, that quickly ended when he heard Anna screech "STOP" to Noishe, and the next moment, he saw Anna flying over him and fall into the lake with a huge crash. The man couldn't help but smile as he looked back to see an innocent looking protozoan staring back at him.

"Noishe, you stupid dog!" she exclaimed from the lake, and Kratos turned to see Anna walking out of the water, soaked and filled with rage. The canine merely dashed away with Annule, headed towards Sanaro and Yuan with great haste.

"It looks like Noishe bucked you off?" the Seraph asked rhetorically, and kindly pulled a string of seaweed from his wife's drenched hair. He flung it away into the river before chuckling at Anna's pout and nod. "C'mon, let's go see our new home." Anna took hold of her lover's arm, and the two walked around the lake, and to a large bunch of trees which hid the cottage with great skill.

Anna gasped with glee and tightened her grip on Kratos' arm as the two looked up to see the tip of their house. It was a simple one at that, but beautiful all the same. It was made of thick, dark logs, cut cleanly and simply. The roof and chimney were of the same material as well, and the only distinct features were the light tan door and the clear, very lightly blue colored windows in the walls.

"Let's go inside!" Anna exclaimed, running inside. Kratos smiled at her excited nature, and followed her through the door. The Seraph had seen many places before and was not easily surprised, but he was pleasantly shocked to see such a well made house. The walls were of messy stone inside cement and the floors were polished, dark wood. Upon entering, it was a living room, with space for a couch and a desk. To the right was a kitchen with countertops and an already installed magi technologic stove and fridge. From the left of the living room was a large bedroom, and straight forward from the living room was an extra room which held another door that led outside.

"It's perfect!" Anna yelled, jumping up and down in excitement. She immediately walked about the rooms, deciding the placement of furniture and objects and making further exclamations. Kratos folded his arms, watching the spectacle with amusement. He was just glad to finally have a home after four thousand years.

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"Where do you want the couch?" Sanaro asked, holding one end of a huge leather couch, colored black. It was soft and Anna had fallen in love with it when she saw it. Currently, everyone was moving into the cottage, and Sanaro and Yuan had become the "moving men." Anna looked about the living room. It had a crimson carpet and a small, circular table with a vase on it. Choosing the spot, Anna directed Sanaro and Yuan to the area on top of the rug as well as next to the small table. Carefully, they set it down and backed away to see if it was to Anna's liking. She stared at it for a moment before nodding with a smile. Immediately, Sanaro and Yuan sighed in relief, as it was the last piece of furniture and the two were tired of constantly lifting and moving things.

Closing his wing pack, Yuan pocketed the device and looked about the room with a small smile.

"I have to say, Anna, you are quite the decorator," he remarked. Quickly, he fell into the large, cushioned couch with happiness. The Seraph looked out the window and saw the sky had turned red, and that the sun was quickly setting. Instantly, he became gloomier as he left the couch and touched Sanaro's shoulder to get his attention. He showed him the darkening day, and Sanaro's face became solemn with understanding.

"I can see you're going to leave," Kratos observed, approaching them with a frown.

"Yeah, we need to get back to Luin so we can begin our plans immediately. We just want you to be happy with Anna, alright?" Yuan replied. Kratos nodded, his shoulders slumped and his eyes looking down.

"Don't get so sad over us! We'll visit!" Sanaro remarked, patting him on the shoulder. Kratos nodded, returning the gesture.

"We'll miss you!" Anna suddenly exclaimed, who had heard the conversation, and enveloped the two Seraphim into a big, friendly embrace. Kratos smiled at the comical movement, nodding.

"We'll miss you lovebirds, too!" Sanaro exclaimed back, and Anna released her grip. Everyone had a smile on their face, but they were each filled with heartache as Yuan and Sanaro waved and turned for the door. Kratos sighed at the remark while Anna giggled, nodding. The Seraphim left through the door and left the forested area of the lake, waving back to the couple even though they were far.

"BYE!!" Anna yelled, her hands cupped around her mouth to emphasize the noise. She then waved vigorously as Sanaro and Yuan fell out of sight, and night finally fell on the cottage.

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Mr.Who2123: Kind of a filler as well, but I made it cute!

Kratos: Please review.


	44. Desperation

Mr.Who2123: ELEVEN MORE CHAPTERS:0

Kratos: Just ignore her, she'll rant for days straight…and on another note, she owns nothing.

Mr.Who2123: OMG ELEVEN MORE!! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ONLY… (Rants for several days straight)

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Kratos and Anna were asleep together, enjoying their new and very comfy bed. Kratos, however, was awoken by a high pitch scream. Sitting up instantly, and with a knowing fear on his face, he looked to his left to the Cruxis Crystal taking its effect on his wife. It had become almost completely blue, which was the color of a completed crystal. Quickly, Kratos put a reassuring hand on Anna's cheek as the scream subsided, and Anna was back to her normal sleep.

_I've got to tell her…and I need to get the materials so I can make her a Rune Crest…Anna, I promise I'll save you,_ he muttered in his thoughts, a grim expression plastered on his face. Reluctantly, Kratos fell back asleep, hoping to enjoy a few more hours of rest.

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Anna hummed a wordless song as she cooked some eggs that the two had gathered one day in the forest. She flipped the eggs with a sharp movement of the pan, and they started sizzling under the extreme heat. She smiled when she saw Kratos just coming out of the bedroom, his hair much more dismantled than usual. A sleepy frown on his face made Anna laugh as he sat at the table, running his hand through his hair.

"How do you like your eggs?" she asked him, turning back to her cooking.

"No ketchup," was the muttered reply, and Anna laughed even more. This is what made Kratos so reluctant to tell her about her crystal, and how she has a limited time to live before it finally finishes its evolution.

In a few minutes, Kratos had freshly cooked eggs in front of him, and the Seraph began to eat with unusually reserved behavior…even for Kratos. Anna noticed this, but finished her food before approaching the subject. She also noticed Kratos barely ate his food.

"What's wrong, Kratos?" she asked. Reaching out a hand, she lightly touched her husband's own hand, making him tense in reaction. Slowly, her slid his hand away from hers and put it on his lap.

"Anna, you have a limited time before you're Cruxis Crystal finally takes over your body, and it's almost done," he replied grimly. Anna looked down, an expression of horror on her face. She knew her time was short, but not this short.

"How long?" she asked, barely above a whisper. It took Kratos some time before he could look at Anna in the eye and answer.

"From one to five years," he answered. Anna hesitated before leaving her chair to walk across the table. The Seraph made no reaction when he thought she'd leave to her room, but instead, he was surprised to find Anna with her arms around his neck, embracing him in full.

"We'll find a way, right?" she asked softly, her voice choking on coming tears. Kratos looked up and smiled sadly.

"Don't worry, we will. I promise," he answered for her. And he returned the embrace in full, tears on the verge of escaping his brown eyes as well. However, a dark cloud shadowed over his heart, and Kratos wasn't so sure he could accomplish the task which he had promised to fulfill.

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Anna had grown much in a year. Her face became more defined and sharp, while her thin, ragged image of a ranch escapee had vanished into thin air. She was much better fed, and her liveliness had become tenfold. However, inside, she knew she was dying.

Anna hummed softly as she rode on Noishe back to her house. It still looked the same, except for the doormat that said "Home Sweet Home." Kratos still didn't understand why she liked having it there, and argued it was a pointless piece of fabric, but Anna loved it all the same. She liked how it made her home cozier and friendlier. Again, Kratos didn't understand, since he knew that no one would come to visit for security reasons.

Upon seeing the beautiful lake, Anna smiled. She still loved seeing it even after she had lived there for a year.

"C'mon Noishe, if we can get home quickly, we could go for a swim," she said. That's all that Noishe needed for him to move full speed, with his tail wagging and tongue hanging from his mouth. Anna quickly grabbed tighter on the basket she carried, full of groceries, and held onto Noishe with care. While she took these precautions, Anna laughed.

In only a few minutes, Anna and Noishe were at the door, both of them winded from the fast paced run. Rubbing his head, Anna thanked Noishe and entered the house. Inside, it looked exactly the same as the day Sanaro and Yuan had left. So far, they hadn't visited at all, but the couple knew they would be busy and didn't worry.

Quickly, Anna set the groceries on a counter, and sorted out the food, placing them either in the fridge or in the cupboards. She was in a hurry to finish and get to swim in the lake. It was a great fun to go, especially when Anna could see a unicorn in the bottom, apparently asleep. Kratos had told her that they only awake to young maidens with pure hearts, and grant them a wish.

Just as Anna left the kitchen to go change, she caught the sound of a rustling bush. Quickly, she turned around, looking out the window.

_Was that Noishe?_ She wondered, her eyes trying to find the source of the sound. _No, it couldn't have been…he's in the house._ Her eyes caught onto Noishe, who was looking at her with worry. Anna backed away, heart pounding and mind racing as she moved towards her room.

_Maybe it was just a forest creature…yeah…calm down, Anna, you're overreacting…_ her mind played in her head. Then, as her worry was about to leave, she heard the sound of slow footsteps outside the walls of her home.

"Noishe, someone's here!" she whispered hoarsely. The protozoan understood, and faced the doorway. He bared his large fangs and stooped slightly, ready to tackle anyone that came his way. The footsteps became louder and louder, and faster and faster. Anna hid behind the corner of a wall, desperately hoping it wasn't an attacker. The footsteps stopped, and a moment later, the handle was being turned at the door. Noishe growled even louder, and tensed.

The door opened, and Noishe leaped. It knocked the figure over in a split second, and held the person there until he could see who it was. When he did, Noishe immediately jumped off, and lost the tense and growling expression. He was back to the cute puppy Noishe, who was wagging his tail immensely.

"Please…don't do that again, Noishe," the deep voice said, and Anna knew who it was.

"Kratos!" she yelled, leaving her hiding spot and running out the door to see her love with a bag on his shoulder and a wide grin on his face. Anna embraced him, and he hugged her back. Kratos gave her a kiss on her cheek, and then they left each other's arms to look each other in the eyes.

"How was it?" she asked, her excitement at an all time high.

"Tiring, but I have all the materials now," he answered, lifting his pack from his shoulder to put it in front of him. Anna nodded, and entered the house, filled with joy at seeing her husband after a year. Kratos followed, wiping his feet on the doormat before entering as well.

"It feels good to be home," he muttered, looking at the house with a smile. He sat at the couch, next to Anna, and emptied his materials across a small table. The woman, curious at them, began to ask which each one was.

"Well, this is the Mana Leaf Herb," he began, holding a bundle of strange, green leaves. They were long and thin, but wide as well. "And this is the Zicron." Kratos lifted a wide nosed bottle with a clump of rock inside. It was a shimmering blue color, and had little black specs in it as well. Lastly, Kratos picked up the Mana Fragment, and told her what it was.

"This was the hardest to get. They can only be found in Welgaia, and I had to do quite a bit of sneaking and hiding to get it. If I didn't have to get this, then I think the travels would have merely been a couple months, and not a year," he explained. Kratos then put them back in his bag, sealing it tightly with a string.

Kratos and Anna both looked out the window, and saw the sun setting quickly. Anna then stood up and began to make dinner for the three while Kratos lay back in his chair and relaxed with a smile on his face. In only a few minutes, he could smell the delicious dinner being cooked and could hear the sizzling of chicken on a pan.

_This is another reason I missed home…she can cook really well for some reason,_ he thought, closing his eyes.

"So what did you do while I was gone?" he asked, opening them again and watching Anna bustle about.

"I had gotten a job as a cook for the inn back in Luin, and I pretty much just worked there for a year," she answered, and then a smile came on her face. "And lots of guys wanted to date me there as well." Anna looked back to see Kratos frowning, and the woman began laughing at the expression. He shook off the expression slowly and his serene one took place once again.

Within the hour, Anna had prepared freshly grilled chicken and steamed vegetables seasoned with herbs. She set the plate down in front of Kratos, and the Seraph had to admit he was surprised. Her cookery had increased tenfold, and she was already a good chef. Immediately cutting his knife through the tender meat, Kratos saw Anna get her own plate with her own food. Lastly, she placed the rest of the meat, which was at least three times the size of Kratos' portion, into a dog bowl, and she set it down in front of Noishe. Pleased, the protozoan began gulping his food with great haste.

"Spoiled mutt," he muttered, with a small smile on his face. He then turned back to his food, and began eating. Anna had done so too, and they enjoyed the food together for awhile with no speech or noise except for the soft crunching noises of teeth on food.

"Kratos…," Anna suddenly said. Her face became a deep red, and her eyes were on her food and not her husband. Noticing the embarrassment, Kratos tensed and held his attention on her, completely undivided. "I was wondering…if…we could, you know, uh…" She trailed off, and Kratos still held his attention on her. Anna could feel his worried gaze on her, which made her even more nervous.

"Could we…have a child?" she asked. Kratos dropped his knife in shock, his eyes widened. After a moment, he picked it up once more and set it on the table with delicacy.

"Well…is this what you want?" he asked back. He still held a gaze on his wife, and she had found the courage to look back. Anna nodded vigorously, and braced for an answer.

"If it's what you want…then of course," he replied. Anna couldn't help but grin widely and move out of her chair to give her husband a hug.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed, and kissed him on the cheek. Kratos was merely grinning as well.

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Mr.Who2123: Another type of…filler-y chapter, but at least we know that Lloyd is going to be born! YAY!

Kratos: Please review.


	45. Names

Mr.Who2123: AHHH!! Sorry for the lack of updates!! Fire Emblem is super amazing, and I got obsessed and beat the game in four days. I'll be more consistent now though because I am PLAYING TALES OF SYMPHONIA AGAIN!

Kratos: She owns nothing.

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Anna's visits to the clothes shop had become ten times more frequent since she had become pregnant. Constantly, she checked her weight and fussed over it, even though her weight changes would be inevitable. Nothing else had changed much since Kratos had agreed to have a child, except the fact that Kratos would leave for a week to look for a dwarf, and then come stay for a week with Anna.

She would count the days constantly when her husband would come to her door and embrace her as he did. But Anna, to her fortune, had not need to count on the blissful morning she was shopping, because this day was the second day since Kratos had returned for the fifth time. So, a month had passed with these changes occurring over time.

The young woman browsed the "maternity section" of the local clothes shop, looking for something that was reasonably cute, but still served her purposes. Constantly, she looked down at her growing belly to estimate the size she needed. She finally picked out a white one, plain but still nice, and a blue sweater, which also was plain. Throwing them on top of her already large stack of clothes chosen, Anna moved towards the seller. The young woman, about Anna's age, began to count the items, smiling the whole way through, and put them in brown bags.

Anna thanked her, paid her, and left the shop with a bit of a rush. She really wanted to eat something right then, and headed to the inn restaurant for a quick treat. Walking straight to the café she knew of, Anna walked promptly in and waited for a waiter. Anna had spent much of her free time in Luin, and therefore was a friend to almost everyone in the small town.

"Hi, Cathy," Anna said, smiling to a dark haired woman in a high ponytail. Her blue eyes radiated off of her defined face, and she tapped her pencil against the notepad in her thin hand. Cathy had become a friend of Anna over the months, always helping her with any problems that she had, whether it was directions (as it had changed much over the years due to constant Desian attacks) or Anna just needed someone to talk to.

"Hey, Anna. How's your husband? Still as handsome as ever?" she asked back. There was only one slight problem with Cathy. She liked to talk…a lot.

"He's good," she replied with a laughing grin on her face. Cathy nodded and walked away. She knew Anna so well that she already memorized what she would order.

The waitress came back quickly with a vibrant salad. Tomatoes, croutons, and cool chicken had been sprinkled on the green of the lettuce, creating a mixture of colors. She set the bowl in front of the increasingly hungry woman, and placed a hand on the chair across from the table.

"How does your stomach feel? I heard from my other girlfriend that it feels like a balloon is growing inside of you. If that's true, then wouldn't it feel kind of weird?" she asked, watching the enlarged stomach more than the ravenous soon-to-be mother. Anna looked up after taking about five consecutive bites, and began chewing it with huge intensity. The lettuce crackled under the teeth in a cadence as she thought of her answer. Swallowing, Anna put down her fork.

"It does kind of feel like that, but it moves around sometimes when you're really still," she answered. Cathy nodded, and then waved good bye. More customers were coming in at that hour due to the fact it was about the time everyone's work ended. Anna waved back before eating a couple more huge bites and then standing up slowly as not to irritate her child. Placing one hundred gald on the table, she scurried out with her bags of clothes.

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Kratos held his sword in front of him, the tip just exceeding the tip of his head in length. His eyes were focused on the target about five feet in front of him. His dark eyes narrowed on it as his muscles tensed from the nerves racking him. Slowly, he closed his eyes and began to count.

_1…2…3…GO!_ The still man sprung into action, and ran towards the target with extraordinary speed. He sliced upwards, jumping with his strike. Now over thirty feet high with the help of his wings, Kratos pointed his body and blade down straight at the target. Blue energy gathered at the tip of his blade and the swordsman began to spin.

Resembling a giant drill with giant, blue spiraling energy, Kratos held his focus on the target below him as the momentum and gravity increased his speed dramatically. He came closer and closer until only a few feet away. There was a huge crash, and blue light swirled everywhere. Kratos ignored the enormous spirals of energy, but kept his gaze on the target, now blown to bits.

It was a wooden figure with cloth padding on the rough body and legs, but now it was pile of broken twigs and burnt feathers. Smirking, Kratos finally stood up and sheathed his weapon. The Seraph looked around himself, seeing the nearby trees with black, gaping marks in them, but unharmed otherwise. Slowly, the Seraph began walking towards his home to wait for his wife.

_One day Yggdrasil…I'll defeat you and create a peaceful world,_ he thought, his eyes on the wooden cabin not far ahead. Just as he reached the door, he heard the rhythm of paws dashing on soft grass. Knowing who it was, he turned around immediately and watched Noishe and Anna appear from the forest surrounding the lake.

"Hi Kratos!" Anna called. She tapped Noishe and the protozoan stopped. Kratos greeted the two and helped his wife step off Noishe. Anna leaned on her husband's shoulder while they walked to their cozy home, a smile on her face.

"It's going to be so great when I get a Key Crest and have a child. We won't have to worry anymore," she sighed dreamily. Kratos made a low hum in agreement. Opening the wooden door, he stepped on the mat and led Anna inside carefully. Anna let go of her husband and sat on the couch, pulling out a new book she had bought in Luin. Kratos glanced at it, and noticed the title was "Baby Names."

"Anna, I don't think we need a baby book to get names," Kratos suddenly said. He sat next to her, looking over the vast numbers of them. "…Sandeloosa…that name must be the most revolting I have ever seen," Kratos added, frowning at the less than satisfactory names. Anna turned to him with a glare.

"Can you just butt out if you're not going to help?" she demanded quite loudly. The Seraph looked down, slightly ashamed, and nodded. "We're looking at girl names in case she's a girl." Not hearing an answer, Anna read anyways, knowing Kratos comprehended her.

"Marina, Maggie, Andrea, Shawna, Eden, Emma…I like those ones," she said. Kratos remained silent as he thought to pick a name.

"Keep going…I'm not sure about any of those," Kratos replied softly. Anna continued.

"Meagan, Jessica, Carolyn, Amy, Katherine, Hannah, Lauren-," she stopped abruptly when she saw Kratos point to a name she hadn't read.

"This one's good," he remarked. Anna glanced at it, and immediately agreed.

"Allia…," she read softly. "I like it too." It may have been easy for the girl name, but for the boy side…not so much. After Anna had turned to the boy section and read aloud names, Kratos had sided with the name Hunter, but Anna liked Lloyd.

"Lloyd is such a better name than Hunter," she said quite calmly, but the aggravation in her voice was clearly evident.

"My grandfather was named Lloyd, and he was a man of no integrity. I despise the name," Kratos replied coolly.

"Well, then this Lloyd will redeem your grandfather," Anna replied.

"I'll only remember that man more if our son is named that," the Seraph retorted.

"Let go of it Kratos because that is the name we're using, and that's final!" she finished. Kratos folded his arms stubbornly and sulked while his wife happily put down the book and began to make dinner.

_Why do the women always win?_ He wondered as he listened to Anna's soft humming.

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Far West, across the sea, was where Yuan and Sanaro were. Fine, golden sands surrounded them, followed by buildings towering over them. The oasis was only ten yards away as they browsed items for their new "home."

"I have to say Yuan, a desert is a perfect idea for a base. No one ever travels outside of the route to Triet and the Fire Seal, so we won't have to worry much over travelers finding the place," Yuan remarked to his friend. The two looked almost completely the same, except Sanaro's hair had become shorter and had replaced his old armor with heavy leather traveling clothes that were a dark green. Yuan wore a cloak around his clothes to hide them from the desert sands that whipped up in the air when a gust of wind ever blew.

Picking up one hundred sets of long swords and metal shields for their troops as well as magic staves and spears, Sanaro and Yuan moved to a lonely alley to put their items in the wing pack before moving to the armor store. Sanaro had rapidly become thankful that he still had access to Yggdrasil's infinite amount of money in his own wing pack. There were at least billions, and the supply barely diminished even after buying three hundred sets of thick metal for creating armor similar to a Desian's.

The two once more discreetly placed their items in that wing pack, and left the city with leisure and happiness. They were happy to finally leave the desert city in all its lack of cleanliness and its loud streets. When out of range with the city, Yuan pulled out the two Rhieards and they flew the rest of the way to the base.

The base was built by a group of travelling craftsman half-elves. They had been rejected by both humans and Desians as they travelled, and were very wary of people. However, Yuan offered an amazing sum to build a magitechnologic base with the materials provided, and they came to think better of both humans and other half-elves. And, as well as building the advanced base, the half-elves had become the first Renegades.

Sanaro and Yuan hovered over their base and slowly floated down to the open hatch in the ceiling. Yuan first, then Sanaro entered it, and rested them into a hangar. Stepping onto floor again, Yuan stretched while Sanaro yawned.

"I wonder if we obtained any new recruits from all the posters we discreetly placed in all the cities," Yuan absently wondered. Sanaro nodded and entered the main hall. Dozens of half elves were strewn before them, anxiously waiting for the leaders to recruit them. With the opening of the door, all the talking had stopped, and all eyes were on the two new faces.

"There has got to be at least a hundred of them," Sanaro commented, smiling. Yuan nodded and then stepped forward to address them.

"Hello fellow half-elves. I am Yuan, leader of this new organization. This is Sanaro, a human, but my most trusted friend," he gestured a hand at the warrior, who smiled at the many faces pointed at him. "If you are here, then that means you want to fight against the Desians. However, you should know something first. Cruxis, the heavenly organization that supposedly guides this world…is actually leader of the Desians, who wreak havoc upon all people. Now, you may think me crazy or stupid, and that's fine. If you don't believe me, however, you can just leave and be ignorant of the truth."

There was a tense silence and slowly, a couple half-elves left the area. Their shuffling sounded across the huge metal walls of the room, and then there was silence again.

"I'm glad most of you stayed. Now, Sanaro will guide you all to your rooms for sleeping and go over the basic rules of staying here," he glanced quickly back at Sanaro, who nodded determinedly. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Renegades!"


	46. How to Shop

Mr.Who2123: Well, here I am again, making a more…not so belated update. I own nothing related to Tales of Symphonia or any video game for that matter.

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A warm, spring night fell on Sylverant. The full moon pierced the haziness of the fog that dared to creep into the world, revealing a mysteriously beautiful night. Stars blinked at the wonderful sight, almost as if in awe of it. The trees were as dark as the black waters of Lake Umacy, camouflaging with each other into blackness. The leaves rustled lightly with the small breeze that flew by. White reflections in the lake were oppositely colored to the black all around it, dancing brightly in the moving waters. Almost every night was like this, and a resident in this lake area never got tired of the view.

Anna sighed softly, her eyes staring dreamily out as her thoughts trailed off in a flash. Colorful thoughts of dancing, swimming, and eating in the lake filled her mind as it passed over reality and into Anna's imagination. Her hands supported her chin as she sat at her wooden desk, but they began to slip as she dozed off. Anna snored, but immediately woke up after the noise she made.

_I should get into bed…it looks like I'm tired enough,_ she thought, standing up carefully. A groan came from the young woman, who looked down to see that she was hungry. Placing her food needs before sleep, Anna tip toed carefully out the door and into the kitchen. Her bare feet made no noise, moving expertly on the wood floors. She had become a specialist in making no noise, as she knew her husband could wake very easily. Now next to the fridge, Anna opened it carefully and looked in side of it. All assortments of comfort food were stacked inside of it, all of it looking delectable to the pregnant woman. Picking out a plate of cookies, baked only earlier this evening, Anna held it with one hand while she carefully closed the door with her other.

After setting the yummy dessert down, Anna stuffed two cookies down her mouth at one time, chomping quietly, but ravenously. The young woman sighed in savory satisfaction as she swayed side to side in enjoyment. The chocolaty goodness was almost too good for her tastes, and the wonderful dessert seemed to explode inside her mouth. The chewing slowed down, and Anna finally swallowed the cookies. Of course, if you are a normal person, you just don't settle for two cookies…you eat at least three or four until you're satisfied. And that's what Anna did, except…each time she gulfed down a cookie, her eating had become more ravenous and her chewing louder.

After about six cookies, the light was finally turned on, and the young woman froze. An unkempt and tired Kratos was at the door, staring at a frozen Anna, who had a cookie in her hand that was about to deposit it into her mouth. Different shades of brown covered her lips, making her capture even more humorous. The comment made at her caught her even more off guard.

"The sound of your chewing woke me up from my sleep…," he said. Anna meekly smiled and tossed the last cookie inside her mouth before grabbing the plate once more. Now it only had two or three cookies left when she had made a dozen of them, showing her obvious "craving." Placing it once more in the fridge, she shook off the many crumbs on her night clothes with a couple quick swipes of her hands, and wiped her mouth with the back of her palm.

"Sorry, honey," she finally answered, moving to the bedroom with a tired, yet satisfied spirit. Kratos merely grumbled and followed.

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"Please tell me why you took me again," Kratos grumbled, but the cause wasn't because he was sleepy, but because Anna was taking him to Luin for a reason he found pointless.

"You need to know how to shop so you can get cute clothes for our child when I have him or her," she replied, giving him a 'just be quiet now, because I'm going to win either way' look. Kratos grumbled inaudibly once again, looking away from his wife. The two were now at the large entry bridge into the town, and they remembered the first time they met.

"Remember when I met you at the Tower of Mana, and you practically hated me?" Anna asked, grinning humorously at the memory. Despite his sour mood, Kratos managed a smile in his remembrance as well. His eyes looked back and forth at the many stores in the street, each seeming the same to the Seraph. Anna turned very carefully around to each store, her eyes shining with excitement.

Anna was now seven months into pregnancy, and now her slightly noticeable lump had become swollen to a huge extent. Of course, she fussed over it every day, but Kratos made sure to not look at her stomach, but her face, as not to make they young woman self conscious. And after Anna had become much more hormonal, Kratos made sure to say "You look wonderful" each and every day, as much as he thought it unnecessary.

"That store! It has infant stuff! Come on, Kratos!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and walking quickly to the store. Kratos grumbled again, mixed with a sigh. Anna thrust the door open with incredible strength, dragging her husband behind her, and walked inside. There weren't many people in the store, but it was a very nice and organized store anyways. The pregnant woman let go of Kratos' hand, and the Seraph noticed red marks where Anna's hand just was.

'_Sometimes I wonder if agreeing to this "child" thing was even a good idea,'_ Kratos wondered, rubbing his sore wrist tenderly as his wife beckoned him to the infant section. Slowly, he complied, and was quickly drowned in a million and one questions from his wife.

"What color should we get? Should it be yellow, green, blue, or red? Do you think we'll have a boy or girl? Look at that outfit, it has ruffles! What about that one? I think we'll have a boy, so should I choose a dark blue one? But what if we have a girl, so should we get a pink one? How about the light green one? It's genderless! Do you like it? What color do you like?" was her barrage. Poor Kratos covered his ears from the degree of noise she made and the excessive speed of her voice.

"I…like…red," he muttered back, pointing to the bright red one piece for infants. Anna glanced back at him with a strange look.

"That's ugly. I like this red one! It has ruffles!" she replied. That was too much. The Seraph said he had to go to the restroom, and quietly slipped away to the aisle on the other side of the store. He fell back against the shelf and slowly slid down until he was sitting. His gloved hand clutched his throbbing head as he heard his wife's comments repeating inside his head.

'_Please, make these two months go by quickly so I can be rid of this crazy Anna,'_ he pleaded with himself. He waited for a couple more minutes, until his hurting head died down and his strength and tolerance grew once more. Standing, Kratos walked slowly to his wife, who was still browsing over the sections with huge intensity.

"Hi, Kratos. I like these three," she said. _'To the point as always,'_ Kratos smirked as he looked at the clothes. There was one outfit with red and blue stripes, another one that was simply white wool, and the last one was a bright green soft material.

"Uh, I like all of them," he replied, remembering his wife's situation. "How about this one as well?" Kratos asked, grabbing one he particularly liked. It was bright red and had white dots all over it. To him, it looked just as good as the ones Anna held, if not better.

"Kratos…," Anna said slowly, grabbing the outfit carefully. Kratos was prepared for a lecture on clothes picking. "I cannot believe you picked out something as cute as this! Good job! I knew you had some fashion sense in you!" The Seraph smiled despite himself and placed a hand on his face, shaking his auburn head.

"Uh, thank you, Anna. I'm glad you like it," he merely replied with a smile still on his face. He wasn't smiling because he enjoyed the praise, but because of the surprise Anna held when he picked out the outfit. It was a priceless face, filled with confusion and awe, as if he'd done the impossible. It was only a minute later when Anna had grabbed Kratos' wrist again, and dragged him out of the store (of course after paying for the outfits) and made her way to another store only across the street. Poor Kratos had to endure four different stores, and then he had to go to an Italian Restaurant which served mainly spaghetti. He managed to keep his food in his stomach, but the smell and memory of the taste were almost too much for him.

'_Please let these two months go by quickly,'_ Kratos pleaded again, his head raised to the ceiling, as if he were looking for a God to come down and help him.

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The couple was now home after a very long day at Luin, and the Seraph plopped on the couch like a dead man when he finally reached it. His wife, completely opposite, nearly skipped inside, closed the door, and hummed while she locked it. Placing her three bags carefully by the sofa, she hummed as she made her way to the kitchen where she could cook dinner.

The Seraph pushed his upper half up to a sitting position so he could see his wife bustling about.

"Anna, are you sure you want to cook this late into your pregnancy?" Kratos asked, still watching her.

"Kratos, if I can shop, I can cook," she replied, and Kratos shut his mouth. _'I need to leave her alone,' _he decided, and slowly got up from the couch, acting as though he'd make Anna angry if he made too much noise.

"Anna, I'm going to read," he said softly, giving her a hug and a kiss on her cheek before leaving nervously. Now in the quiet respites of his room, Kratos grabbed a book on Dwarven Technology and Craftsmanship, and began leafing through it, hoping to find something on it about a location of where Dwarves could be. Anything would be good for him. His fingers flipped through page after page, his sharp, trained eyes searching for clues with speed only mustered by thousands of years of reading.

He came upon a picture of a normal Dwarven home, and the Seraph scrutinized the picture. He looked for clues on the location of the place, trying to discern any landmarks or similar areas that he knew of. The only thing is that Kratos had looked in this book countless times, and each time, he failed at trying to figure it out. That day was no exception, and he reluctantly closed the book, staring into the large gold letters on the front cover.

A loud clang of metal made Kratos stand up and run out of the room in lightning speed. Upon entering the kitchen, he saw Anna standing over the stove. There was something wrong though. Her arms were limp, and the half cooked fish in the pan was on the floor, spilled all across the wood. Her face was covered in perspiration, and her eyes were glazed, but held pain in them. Kratos saw the Cruxis Crystal on her chest glowing brightly as it took another step in its parasitism process. With a scream, Anna lost balance, and fell, her strength too little to even let her stand up.

Kratos caught Anna in a flash, his own mind buzzing with worry. He clutched her sweaty hands with his gloved ones, and he gently let her weight onto his chest. Stroking her face with his free hand, Kratos began saying words of comfort with a calm serenity.

"It hurts, Kratos," Anna whispered, her face now mixed with tears of sadness.

"I know, Anna. Just go to sleep. It's alright, I'm here," he kept saying. The young woman complied without another thought, and fell into a fitful sleep in his arms. The Seraph's face immediately became one of deep worry when his wife was finally asleep. After a moment, he picked up his wife in a way where he wouldn't disturb the baby, and walked her into the bedroom.

'_I'd assume she only has three years at the most. Please, help me find a Dwarf,'_ he pleaded with himself. Gently, Kratos laid his wife on the bed and pulled the sheets over her. Now that the flash of pain had gone, Anna was serene once more, her sweaty face now calming down into dryness once more. Kratos silently walked out of the room as not to disturb her, and grabbed another book on Dwarves. He then began searching harder in the books he had already read, even though he knew he wouldn't find anything. However, he carried, refusing to give up.

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Now in Asgard, Sanaro and Yuan were putting posters all over the city with great haste. It was easily three 'o clock in the morning, and the two knew that early work began at around four. If they were to put them up and leave before that time, they would have to hurry. Asgard was the second largest city in Sylverant, and covered many miles.

"Grab that glue. We're done with this section," Yuan said, pointing to the can next to Sanaro. The warrior complied, grabbing it and walking after the Seraph with haste. Now two thirds of the way done, Yuan and Sanaro made their way to the last section of town. Each grabbed a pile of posters and a sticky paint brush. In lightning speed, they plastered glue on the wall, and stuck the poster on. And then they moved to the next building with the same matchless speed.

By the time four 'o clock came, there was no sign that either Seraph was even there, except for the many mysterious posters all over the city. Many of the people would crowd around one nearby and read it:

_Humans and Half-Elves of Asgard:_

_Please understand that it will be a long time until the next Chosen of Regeneration is born. But our organization is here to end the Desians without help of the Chosen that has a high chance of failing. Anyone that would like revenge upon Desians, please meet at the House of Salvation east of here today, and discover your true potential as a being on this world. Together, we can overthrow the Desians at their roots and end the pain that they have wrought upon our world._

_In this organization, humans and half-elves shall work together to create a more peaceful world without Desians. Thank you._

_Renegade Leader, Yuan_

The people talked in hushed voices about this mysterious Yuan and the Renegades. Many of the people decided to go just to see if this was a prank or not. Some others believed in the poster, and had already begun packing for the journey. Most of the women started to gossip on the poster, saying that it was a group of Desians who placed the posters on the buildings, but no one really believed them. Why would Desians come all the way down here to lure a bunch of humans and Half-elves to a House of Salvation? It was unsupported and had no evidence. The people who wanted to join this organization could only believe in Yuan and the poster he had set across the city.

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Sanaro sat on a wooden bench adjacent to the House of Salvation. It was a nice spring morning, and the warrior sighed peacefully. Yuan moved next to his friend and sat next to him, enjoying the lovely day as well.

"Do you think many people will come?" Sanaro asked, looking to Yuan. The Seraph merely shrugged, who pointed his head in the direction of Asgard.

"We'll just have to wait and see," he replied, watching the west carefully. It was a grass hill, which moved so high that it blocked the view of the city which was only about 20 miles from the House. If one stood on that hill, however, they could see Asgard clearly, and sometimes even pinpoint an ant-sized person in a carriage coming in or out of the city. After a couple of nervous, Sanaro couldn't take anymore, and left the bench.

He walked up the hill quickly and without hesitation. When at the peak, he sat down and watched the small city far away. A couple more nervous minutes passed, and Yuan finally left the bench as well. However, he did not follow Sanaro's doing, but began pacing back and forth. His eyes watched the moving floor change colors with each step; from grass to dirt, and then from dirt back to grass.

What seemed hours later, Sanaro stood up. Yuan watched his friend turn to him with a grin on his face.

"Probably one hundred people coming, Yuan!" he exclaimed. Yuan ran for the top of the hill to his friend, and looked over the green hill. With his heightened sight, her could see a mass of people come towards the House with haste. Most of the people wore giant packs, looking determined to join the Renegades. Yuan felt a grin come across his face quickly, and folded his arms.

"Get the Renegades and bring them to the clearing. I'll prepare to talk to them," he said. Yuan walked quickly away to the east for the small forest, but Sanaro stayed put like he was asked. In an hour, the humans and half-elves made it to the top of the hill where Sanaro was.

"Is everyone here for the Renegades?" Sanaro asked, looking among the many mixed faces. There was a unanimous nod, and Sanaro nodded back. "Well then, please no questions until we reach our destination." The people, complying with the strange warrior, followed him to the eastern clearing, which took no more than thirty minutes. The former spy felt his heart pounding despite himself as he walked.

'_Let's hope that everyone joins. If they do, then we'll have three hundred, and we can start our plans as a rebellion group,'_ he thought to himself, glancing back briefly. The many humans and Half-elves behind him would soon be the forces that help bring the worlds back together.

Yuan clasped his hands together when he saw his friend with the hundreds of recruits came inside the clearing. Thankfully, the clearing was large enough for the many people to fit and have room to make themselves comfortable as well. Yuan cleared his throat, putting his fist to his mouth before looking at the strewn about people. Sanaro walked next to Yuan, giving him a solemn, but hopeful nod. Yuan put his hands back together, nerves coming together. He was never good at speeches; Martel would make most of them during the Ancient War, and when she couldn't Kratos would step into place. Yuan was always too shy.

"Welcome, humans and half-elves. My name is Yuan, and I am the one that put the posters on the buildings along with Sanaro. We have come to gather people to move against the Desians. But…before we can start, I have to tell you something…," he looked at the attentive faces all around him. Yuan anxiously put his hands down, but folded them after a moment of feeling uncomfortable. His dark eyes looked about the people once more before looking down at his boots. Sanaro began to wonder if Yuan was okay, but those doubts vanished when Yuan finally did continue.

"The heavenly order known as Cruxis actually controls Desians and wreak havoc upon the world for their own reasons. Now, you may think me stupid or crazy and choose not to believe me. However, if you do choose not to, then you may leave now," he stopped. Yuan looked about the masses of people, waiting for people to leave. There was a strained, shocked silence, but there was no movement whatsoever. Everyone looked about themselves, waiting for someone to leave, but none did. Only after a full five minutes did Yuan clear his throat once more.

"Well then…everyone, welcome to the Renegades."

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Mr.Who2123: Nice and long for your enjoyment. Please review!


	47. Shut Up, Kratos

Mr.Who2123: I own nothing. Alright, on to the labor!! (Gasp! A new line thing!)

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Yuan turned around after walking a couple steps, and turned the other way. He moved through the doorway that had no door, and walked a couple steps out there, and turned around. The Renegade leader had been walking back and forth for nearly an hour, his head watching the floor and his hands clasped behind his back. He wasn't doing this, however, for fun or because he was thinking. Sanaro was installing the automatic doors while under the doorway, and to make sure that the door wouldn't fall on the warrior when he finished, Yuan would walk back and forth and the door would catch the motion and wouldn't crush Sanaro.

"Are you almost done?" Yuan asked, sounding quite agitated. Sanaro didn't stop his work to look at him, but kept working with haste.

"I'll tell you when I'm done," he replied. Yuan knew he was going to get that answer too, but he was just tired of walking. After a couple moments of pure silence besides the sound of feet and working metal, Yuan looked to his friend again.

"Now?"

"…"

"Well…?"

"No!" the warrior finally snapped back. Yuan sighed, looking at his friend. Sanaro was on the ceiling, actually, using his wings to keep him in the air. The warrior held several pieces of chord and metal in one hand while the other worked on the mechanism expertly. After a moment, his free hand grabbed a chord, and placed it inside the doorway opening. He shifted it around inside carefully, making sure not to let his hands slip at any cost. After hearing a soft click, the door made a loud noise. It buzzed as electrical currents began moving all within the doorway, and the light on the front of the doorway turned on, signaling that it's working.

The automatic door began moving down, but it sensed Yuan's motion, and stayed up. Sanaro sighed with relief and let himself out of crushing range of the door. He let his wings disappear right before he landed, the emerald green dispersing into the air.

"I'm done _now_," he playfully remarked, and Yuan smiled. A loud howl, followed by barking, sounded from a couple rooms away.

"Annule?" Sanaro wondered aloud, running towards the sound. He passed by a couple automatic doors and through a group of confused Renegades to find Annule in the entrance hallway. The giant wolf caught sight of Sanaro, and ran for the entry doorway with its canine speed.

"Annule! Wait!" Sanaro called, but the wolf had already left the base. Yuan was right behind his friend, and followed him out of the room. The sands whipped up everywhere around the friends, the brown specks flying into the Seraphs' eyes.

"Great…we're in the middle of a small sandstorm," Yuan muttered, wiping his eyes. The former spy caught sight of his friend, and began moving towards the white wolf. However, another canine figure came up next to Annule.

"Look, it's Noishe!" Sanaro exclaimed, running towards the two canines. The protozoan and wolf jumped around each other, both happy to see their friend. When Noishe, however, caught sight of Sanaro, it padded up to him, and lifted its mouth to show him what was inside. The warrior cautiously took a white object within the protozoan's mouth and found out it was a paper.

"_Sanaro and Yuan:_

_Anna is in labor right now. Come to the Luin hospital as quickly as you can._

_, Kratos"_

By now, Yuan was right next to his friend, and both had read the note.

"What?! We have to go now!" Yuan exclaimed, making his way back to the base. Sanaro hesitated, however, looking at the protozoan.

"How'd you get here so fast…and how did you know where we were?" he asked, eyeing the innocent canine. Noishe, seeming to understand, looked at Annule, and whined. Sanaro left the two canines, after figuring out who helped him, and ran straight for the Rhieard room. He made a quick left from the main hallway, and then turned right for the hangar. Yuan was already there, programming the control to let two out.

Two Rhieards, one blue, one green, came up from the metal floor, waiting for the friends to climb on them. They opened their wings automatically when the floors closed below them and their engines were starting. Sanaro jumped on the blue one while Yuan the green, each gripping their handles. Colorful mana gathered inside the engines, and the Rhieards lifted above the ground evenly.

After a couple more moments, the machines zoomed out of the base, and into the open sky.

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Anna had sweat covering her whole body, making her almost as wet as if she'd just gotten out of the lake. However, her mindset was not on how much she must've smelled horrible, but on the laborious task in front of her.

"Anna, you're doing well. It's okay," Kratos kept saying towards her. His arm was holding onto hers, letting his wife squeeze it when the pain would come to be too much. The doctor put gloves on his hands, and began the procedure. Anna breathed heavily as she began to push, forcing herself to ignore the tremendous pain.

"Anna, it's okay. You're doing great!" Kratos told her when she took a moment to rest. The Seraph put a wet towel on her damp head and let it sit for a moment before taking it off once more.

"Try another push!" the doctor said, waiting for the baby to come out. Anna glanced at the doctor, then at her excited husband, and nodded. She forced another push, but it wasn't enough. Pain racked her whole stomach, and Anna bit her lip to stop the pain. Rasping for more breath, Anna sighed.

"Anna, you're doing great. Just a little more," Kratos encouraged. Anna gave him a furious look.

"If you say that one more time, I'm going to kill you," she said. Kratos backed away, half in sadness, half in fear of his pained wife. She turned her attention once more to the difficult task before her, and began to work once more.

Not long after that moment, the sound of fists pounding on doors racked Kratos' ears. He then heard a voice that turned his sour mood around.

"Kratos! We're here!!! Let us in!" Yuan yelled from the other side of the door. The Seraph came up to it, and told the two to be quiet, as the labor was almost done. Reluctantly, Yuan and Sanaro agreed to abate their noise. Sanaro began to pace back and forth in front of the door, but Yuan just sat down. He was done with walking unless it was necessary.

Kratos turned away from the door once more, and hurried to his wife, who was gasping for breath. She was almost done, was what the doctor said, but she didn't hear him. Her rapid heartbeat completely turned away all other sound, and she closed her eyes to be rid of all sight. All she could feel was the horrible pain racking her constantly.

"Anna, you're doing great! Keep going!" Kratos exclaimed, placing a hand on her seaty one.

"Shut up, Kratos!" Anna exclaimed back, but her anger dispersed in a second. The two both heard the noise loud and clear. It was a heavenly voice to both of them, taking all their attention away from each other and to the doctor who held the owner of this voice.

"Anna…you did it!" Kratos exclaimed, a wide smile coming to his face. He kissed Anna on the head before rushing to the doctor. The doctor was a dark haired man with fat glasses and a thin frame. His white coat hung loosely from his thin arms that held a small, bundled figure that was the owner of the "heavenly noise." It was a small baby, crying its heart out, but Anna and Kratos loved the sound.

"Congratulations, Kratos and Anna. It's a boy," he said, smiling as he gave the child to the no longer sweating Anna. She took the baby carefully, cooing him with her finger. Tears welled in her eyes as she laughed at the wonderful moment. Kratos couldn't help but feel the tears in his eyes as well when he hollered across the room to Sanaro and Yuan.

"C'mon, guys, Lloyd was born!" he yelled. His friends didn't need a second telling to run into the room and crowd around Anna, filling her with congratulations.

"Lloyd Irving Aurion," Anna remarked to herself, smiling at the name. "I love it."

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Mr.Who2123: AHHHH!!!! YAY!!!! I LOVE IT!!! (Coughs) Um, please review.


	48. Baby Lloyd

Mr.Who2123: Thanks, Skyhawk, for some vicious ideas! I own nothing, by the way.

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That once so 'heavenly noise', that wonderful sound that signaled the birth of new life…that wonderful noise was now on the brink of making Anna and Kratos absolutely nuts. When they got home, they said their good byes to Yuan and Sanaro, who needed to get back to working, and now the two were alone. Kratos loved little Lloyd, oh yes he did, but now he was becoming the number one thing that would likely make him commit suicide.

It was late at night when the two had finally gotten home, but Lloyd was intent on crying for the rest of the night. He hadn't stopped since he was born, and Kratos had become worried that he would literally scream his heart out.

"Calm down, Lloyd," Kratos cooed, gently taking him from Anna's arms, and putting him against his towel covered shoulder. The little baby stopped a moment, resting his head on the padded shoulder.

"Let's put him to bed," Anna said, sighing greatly with relief. Her hair was extremely unkempt and thrown about, but it was the last thing on her mind. Kratos nodded very slightly, as not to disturb the now sleeping Lloyd, and walked over to the newly bought crib, of course, picked out by Kratos after he was "trained" to shop. Moving very gently and softly over the crib and shifting the weight of Lloyd to his arms, Kratos placed the baby into the crib and placed a soft, red blanket onto his little figure.

The Seraph smiled at his wife, and the two began getting ready for bed. Anna left the house to go into the lake for a quick bath while Kratos washed his formerly sweating face with soap. After Anna came back inside, the two went to bed, clean and perfectly happy.

Of course, perfection never lasts, if you've ever had any. Kratos and Anna were figuring that out that very night. Just as Kratos and Anna had fallen into slumber, Lloyd would scream at the top of his lungs. The poor Seraph, with his sharp hearing, scrambled out of bed, close to thinking he was being attacked by Mithos. Noticing his son, however, Kratos ran over to the boy, and picked him up. The crying stopped, and the relief showed on his usual passive face.

"Go to sleep, Lloyd," Kratos whispered, and the child fell asleep in the crib. The boy was so amazingly cute when he was asleep. His thin, small patch of hair was a deep chocolate brown like Anna's but his deep, brown eyes were of Kratos'. His mouth was open while he slept, and his head to the side. He was a sight of pure cuteness.

"We were so lucky to get such a cute boy like that," Anna murmured, watching her son with adoration. Kratos nodded and went back to bed, his mind now free of worries.

It wasn't a piercing cry that woke Kratos from his sleep the next time, but rather a loud sneeze. When he heard it, though, Kratos was on his feet in a couple seconds.

"Anna! Lloyd might be sick!" he exclaimed, dashing to the child's side. Of course, Lloyd was _not_, but the Seraph's hearing was so acute that it made the sneeze sound like a horrible, loud, sick one. Anna moved to a sitting position in her bed with a frown.

"Kratos, go back to bed…he just sneezed," she replied. The Seraph sighed, understanding his own over overreaction, and moved back into bed, but this time, he was waiting for another interruption by his son. He half-closed his eyes, prepared for the noises. He waited for hours and hours, his mind and body prepared to spring from bed and take care of his precious son.

It was morning before the Seraph knew it, and he got up from bed. His eyes had dark rings under them and he sighed. He was so prepared to care of Lloyd that he didn't sleep…at all. Beside him in bed, Anna got up and stretched her airs to the heavens. After a moment, she lowered her arms to stifle her yawn, and smiled at Kratos.

"I actually slept well…how about you?" she asked quietly, smiling at her husband. Kratos grumbled and stood up from the bed. Moving to the bathroom, he began to change from his shorts to his mercenary outfit that he wore so often. The Seraph, now emerged from the side room in full clothing, walked over to his son. The boy was on his side, clutching the blanket tightly as if it were his protection. Despite himself, the Seraph softened his hard and tired gaze, smiling at the adorable boy.

"Let's get breakfast," Anna quietly whispered from behind. She hugged him around the waist and put her head against his shoulder, also watching her beautiful son. Kratos slowly nodded, and left with Anna.

The young mother sprung into action, grabbing pans quietly from a cupboard and grabbing eggs from the fridge.

"From now on, I am on a diet," she remarked quietly. Kratos smirked, shaking his head while he watched Anna crack them and drop the contents into the pan. Immediately, it began sizzling in the heat and the eggs danced with the fire. The young woman flipped the food with expertise, letting the egg fly above the pan for a second, and then let it fall back onto the pan.

"I think you look great, Anna," Kratos remarked back, smelling the wonderful aroma of freshly scrambled eggs.

"With these thighs, Kratos? No, if I went to Luin, all the women would laugh at them," she answered, flipping the eggs once more. Now more solidified than its cold counterpart, the egg was much easier to flip.

"I still think you look great, though," Kratos said after a moment. Anna gave him a smile before turning off the heat of the stove, and grabbed to plates from another cupboard. Placing half the contents onto one plate, she slid the plate across the counter to Kratos, who smiled at the food.

"Thanks, Anna," he said genuinely. With a fork already on the plate, he began eating it calmly while he watched Anna shovel hers in ravenously.

"You know this would be great with…," she began. Kratos froze, his right eye twitching. "…cheese! This would be great with cheese!" Anna laughed at Kratos' sigh of relief as she turned around to the fridge.

"For a moment, I thought you were going to say…," he trailed off, shaking his head. Of course, both parents knew what he was talking about, and Kratos decided the subject didn't need to be addressed anymore. Anna laughed at Kratos' face, which was pained with remembering. She failed horribly at stifling the giggles when Kratos looked up to give her a confused look.

"I was just remembering when I made you eat spaghetti," she said. Kratos became pale and continued eating with a frown.

"Please don't ever make me do that again," he replied, placing another mouthful of egg into his mouth. He had finished now, and sat back in satisfaction. "I'll check on Lloyd." The Seraph stepped out of his chair, and walked back into the bedroom with delicacy. Inside, Lloyd was still asleep. However, when Kratos came up to the crib to see his child more closely, the boy suddenly woke up and began crying.

"Kratos, what did you do??" Anna called from the kitchen.

"Nothing!" Kratos yelled back, sighing. Gently, he picked up his son and placed him against his shoulder like he did last night. The boy stifled his cries and closed his eyes again. The Seraph, relieved, walked back into the kitchen with the boy against him. His gloved hand was holding the back of his head and the other supported his behind. Suddenly, Lloyd woke up and burped. Anna laughed while Kratos smirked.

"She has your manners," the Seraph said quietly, his smile wider. Anna made a face at him, but smiled at the boy anyways. It was hard not to. Suddenly, Lloyd burped again. Kratos looked to Anna, slightly confused, but the young mother was just as perplexed as him.

Just as Lloyd began settling down, the child opened his mouth and brown liquid flew from his mouth and all over Kratos' shoulder. Anna began cracking up, nearly falling on the floor while Kratos stared in horror. Lloyd could send the barf like a projectile, and so far, it shot pretty far. It had gotten on the floor behind Kratos and all over the Seraph's back.

"Anna, a little help, please!" Kratos muttered angrily, looking at his laughing wife with frustration. After Anna finally composed herself, she wiped the tears from her eyes and left for the bathroom which held towels. Kratos thought it couldn't get any worse. It did. Little Lloyd looked up at his dad, his eyes glittering with tears.

"No, Lloyd, don't cry, son," he began, but it was in vain. Lloyd began crying with all his might, and Kratos tried to coo him into quietness again.

"It's okay, Lloyd, I know you didn't mean to," he began awkwardly. He felt he was merely talking to himself and not to Lloyd. The next moment, a towel was thrown on Kratos' shoulder, and Anna was wiping away the barf with expertise.

"He got you pretty well," Anna remarked, laughing as she did so. Kratos merely grumbled as a response, and waited for Anna to finish her cleaning. After using up a total of three towels, Anna used up a fourth to clean Lloyd's dirtied face, and then took the boy afterwards.

"Go ahead and take a bath. You'll smell otherwise," Anna suggested, smiling at her dirty husband. Kratos merely grumbled again and left the kitchen for his room. After he shut the door, Anna turned back to her son with a playful smile.

"You just seem to be a problem child, don't you?" she asked him, though she expected no response. She only received a pair of big brown eyes watching her with wonder.

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Yuan and Sanaro were leading the finishing touches on the Triet Base. Over three hundred people were moving in furniture, beds, necessities, and other things to furnish the base. Sanaro held a checklist of materials bought, and the Seraph checked off every item that was moved into the base.

"Thick, four poster bed," one half-elf said, who was holding one end of the said object.

"Check. Move it into the leader's private room," Sanaro said, and made a check onto the square next to the item. The two carriers, nodded, and shuffled off with the giant piece of furniture. Yuan was watching the process with scrutiny, but also with happiness.

"I'll finally be able to have the forces to strike Mithos back," he remarked. Despite himself, a smile came upon his usually passive face. "Just you wait." The Renegade leader turned away from the workings, and entered his private _workroom_. It was the room right in front of his just private room. There was a beautiful wooden desk sitting on top of thick, red carpet, and a couple bookcases were on the other side. It was truly a lovely room.

Yuan glanced about it with a smile, and moved to his leather chair.

"My first day of work," he said aloud to no one, and began writing documents and notes.

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Mr.Who2123: Here comes the fluff! BRING IT ON!! Oh, and please review!


	49. So Quickly

Mr.Who2123: You readers are so lucky…I'm updating for the third time! I own nothing.

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Kratos had gotten up early despite his lack of sleep. He just couldn't sit still when he knew Yuan and Sanaro were coming to visit the family. He looked over at the crib on the opposite side of the room, seeing a small Lloyd sleeping. The small boy had grown in a year…almost too fast for the Seraph. He loved this time with his wife, but it moved by so quickly that he feared it might slip from his hands.

"Anna, let's get up…I cannot sleep," Kratos whispered. His wife moved slightly, but made no evidence that she even heard her husband. After a moment of still, Anna opened her eyes.

"I could sleep the day away," Anna moaned back, but sat up anyways. She rubbed her eyes before letting them drop to her sides once more. Kratos smiled it his wonderful wife, and leaned over to give her a kiss on the head before standing up. He went to the bathroom to get changed while Anna grudgingly got out of bed. She had lost all of her pregnancy weight, and looked as beautiful as she did before she was pregnant. Smiling at the sleeping boy, Anna yawned before grabbing an outfit herself. She changed on the spot, and finished before her husband, who emerged from the bathroom while she was brushing her hair.

"You're slow at changing," Anna smiled, and put her hair into a ponytail. Her bangs were too short of length, and fell in front of her face. Kratos made an inaudible grumble, and walked over to the small child. He was sucking his thumb with one hand while the other clutched that same red blanket from one year ago.

Both father and mother had discovered quickly that Lloyd loved red. The boy loved his red outfits, his red toys, his red blanket, and Kratos' reddish hair. Whenever the Seraph had enough humor in him to swing Lloyd onto his shoulders, the young boy would always pull his locks with giant strength for such a small child. Kratos would suffer from headaches after that, and had begun to lessen those times.

Anna stepped into the kitchen and began cooking like she always did. The young mother loved to cook for her small family, and made each meal with heavy care. Kratos gently tapped Lloyd on the shoulder, and the toddler woke up quietly. He saw Kratos and made a smile. Then, he began to splutter strange noises and happy cries when Kratos lifted the boy into the air happily and placed him in his arms.

He clapped his hands when Kratos tickled his sides with a finger, and tried to grab it with all his might. His hands whirled around while he continued to make inarticulate noises. The Seraph gently placed Lloyd into a high chair next to the table, and the young boy grabbed the toy already on the tray. It was his favorite toy, a red, shiny bouncy ball. It was perfect for him as well. It was too large to swallow, to soft to harm anyone, and it was red.

Happily, Lloyd bounced it on his tray, laughing as it did so. Kratos couldn't help but chuckle at the beautiful sight. When Lloyd threw the ball, it landed on the floor below him, and Lloyd began to make worried noises.

"Uah, uah, uah!!" he said. To the mother and father, it had the tone as if someone was saying, "Look, get that!" Kratos complied with the young boy's request, and leaned over to grasp the ball. He placed it onto the tray, and Lloyd immediately made happy noises.

"Time for some oatmeal!" Anna exclaimed happily, stirring a pot of the brown breakfast. Kratos smiled with satisfaction and Lloyd gurgled in all the happy noises. Carefully, the young mother scooped the warm porridge, and placed it in a bowl for Kratos. The Seraph stood from his chair and took it happily while Anna scooped a much smaller bowl for Lloyd. She placed it on the tray of the high chair, and Lloyd looked at it with puzzlement. He looked up to his dad to see him eating it, and the little boy immediately understood. Picking up the giant plastic spoon, Lloyd thrust it into the porridge, and the breakfast bounced out of the bowl and all over the high chair. Lloyd squealed with happiness at the flying food, and lifted his spoon. There was iota oatmeal on the spoon, and the young toddler shoved it into his mouth. His mouth grew in size with the spoon in there, and Lloyd squealed happily after he took it out.

By this time, Anna had already scooped some food for her, and watched Lloyd with love and humor in her eyes.

"How did we get such an amazing child?" Anna asked, more to herself than to Kratos. The Seraph nodded in response, finishing his food while he watched Lloyd.

The door was knocked on three times, and the family each looked to front room. Kratos quickly set down his spoon and gave his empty bowl to Anna while he walked rather hurriedly to the door. Lloyd continued to make a mess with his oatmeal and spoon, now forgetting about the strange, unheard of noise in the first place. The Seraph peeked through the small door hole, and saw two anxious friends, waiting impatiently. Kratos threw open the door, and greeted his friends warmly.

"Sanaro, Yuan…it's great to see you," he said, giving both of them manly hugs that only Kratos could pull off. Lloyd noticed the commotion, and looked to his mom for answers. Anna picked up the dirty boy and cleaned his face with a wet towel before bringing him over to the men.

"This is Lloyd," Anna interrupted. Sanaro and Yuan looked at the confused boy, and grinned at his growth.

"He's so big now," Sanaro remarked. With Anna's acceptance, he took the boy into his arms and bounced him around while Lloyd squealed happily. The little toddler began to like these new strangers. Yuan reached for the boy, but Sanaro took a step away, as if protecting Lloyd.

"Let me hold him," Yuan remarked.

""You'd drop him," Sanaro replied.

"Would not,"

"Yeah you would," Sanaro bounced Lloyd about a bit more, creating even more happy giggles from the boy. Kratos and Anna continued to watch the quibbling with confusion.

"They spend too much time together," Anna whispered in her husband's ear. The Seraph smirked and nodded. Finally, he decided to intervene.

"Give Lloyd back to me before you start hurting each other," the man said. Sanaro and Yuan glared at each other, and the blond warrior gave up the adorable boy with reluctance. Now with Lloyd back in Kratos' arms, he looked to the guests. "If you want to play with Lloyd, you have to share him, alright?" The surlier Seraph felt he was around a bunch of six year olds, but he didn't make a remark about that. After a sworn oath from the Renegade leaders, Sanaro and Yuan both took Lloyd and ran with him into the play room. Lloyd squealed happily as they did so.

"They're a bunch of kids…," Anna said, smirking. "They're almost more immature than Lloyd."

Back in the playroom…Sanaro, Lloyd, and Yuan were having a grand old time. The blue haired Seraph put the toddler on his shoulders, and jumped around while Sanaro made funny faces at the boy, creating more giggles from him than the toddler.

"Uah, uah!" Lloyd yelled after awhile, and pointed to a pile of red building blocks. The Seraphim stopped, looked to each other, and shrugged, complying with the smart boy. There were hundreds of blacks strewn about the room, and the Seraphim went right to work in building something. The Seraphim divided the blocks in two, and placed Lloyd in the middle so he could see each building. With Sanaro's half of the share, he created a big castle with a moat, bridge, and towers. Lloyd looked at it, clapped his hands in approval and glee, and accidentally toppled it over. Yuan was making something more known to him.

It was an exact replica of the Renegade base. With all the circular blocks, he managed to create a dome, and put designs on it. Lloyd looked at it with his big, brown eyes in wonder.

"It's the base," Yuan said happily as Lloyd touched it carefully, as if he might break it.

"Auuuuuuuh…," Lloyd said, as if he were saying "Wooooow." Then, as he shifted himself to crawl closer to it, Lloyd toppled over again…and destroyed the Renegade base. Both Seraphim found themselves dejected while Lloyd squealed with happiness. Just as the boy was to grab something else to play with, the whole house shook madly. Sanaro and Yuan were both almost thrown to the floor, but they managed to stay up and hold Lloyd, who began crying.

"Calm down, it might just be an earthquake!" Yuan yelled. The sound of breaking wood and fissuring earth nearly drowned his voice. With a glance at each other, Yuan and Sanaro pulled out their wings for stability, and picked up Lloyd together as they half flew, half ran out of the room, and out into the entry room.

Kratos and Anna were waiting, with the father yelling for the three to get outside quickly. Of course, they complied and did so, just making it outside before the door collapsed. The couch was overturned, the pots and pans flying everywhere, and the floor cracking under the huge force.

"What's going on?" Sanaro yelled, just outside the cracking house. Kratos solemnly pointed upwards. There were ten angels, each casting Ground Dasher on the house, and destroying it completely.

"They found us!" Kratos exclaimed, as he unfurled his blue wings. Yuan handed the crying and scared Lloyd to Anna, who ran farther away into hiding. Noishe followed the mother while the three Seraphim stood poised for battle, each with their weapons out. Before the spell finally ended, the house collapsed into a pile of log and furniture. Kratos couldn't hide the sadness on his face as he stared at the pile of what was once his home.

"…Kratos, stay with Anna. She needs your help more than we need it," Sanaro said. Kratos nodded and left without a thought. He gently helped her out of the area into a safer place while Yuan and Sanaro took out the angels.

It started when the spell ended, and the mage angels suddenly disappeared. In their place, ten angel commanders appeared, each with two blades and a hand at magic.

"They just _had_ to make it harder," Sanaro whispered, and jumped in the air, using his wings as support. Flying right into the mass of them, Sanaro began hacking away with his blade, dodging swords, and avoiding any spells that may have been cast. He knew exactly what he was doing as he just fought on and Yuan stayed where he was.

"Let's see what Yggdrasil says to this spell," Yuan muttered. A light purple magic circle appeared under him as he spoke the words of the attack.

"…Bring down the thundering judgment upon these lost and corrupt souls and send them back to the thundering death they deserve…INDIGNATION JUDGMENT!" he finished. The circle grew larger, and then suddenly disappeared. Sanaro noticed the incantation, and used his speed to get down to Yuan in a second. The angels were left confused while the lightning blade of judgment came down upon the middle of them. Purple lights surrounded the whole mass of them, capturing them inside.

The light magnitude grew tenfold, bursting the angels in all the outside rings first, then the one inside of it. Six angels fell onto the crumbled house, not even alive. Next, the most inner circle of light destroyed the remaining four with its strongest strike. With everything dead, the sword disappeared, and the two Renegade leaders smirked at their easy victory.

"I bet those mage angels had already reported to Yggdrasil…," Sanaro added, and dampened their moods. "I wonder what we're going to do with Kratos and his family." Yuan looked at the clearing which the Aurions had disappeared through.

"They can't stay in the base…it's no place of protection…and I don't want to Yggdrasil to find it," Yuan replied. Sanaro looked at Yuan with anger and surprise.

"And do what? Let them get hurt while we live comfortably in it?" he angrily retorted. Yuan's face became one of rage at the comment.

"The angels are going to look for Kratos now…and if they find them, they'll destroy everything close to them. Do we want to risk the chance of hundreds of Renegades dying?" he snapped back. There was a halt, and Sanaro averted his eyes.

"It's not right…," he muttered.

"Sanaro, nothing's right anymore! We have to constantly run for our lives, the world has been split apart, and Yggdrasil is killing thousands of people to bring back his sister…why do you think anything would be right anymore??" he yelled. Sanaro remained silent, giving his friend a saddened glare before turning to the direction that Kratos had hid in.

"Sanaro…" Yuan began, his rage calmed, and regret climbing up. "I didn't mean to yell like that…"

"I know. C'mon, let's go find them," Sanaro interrupted. Yuan hesitated, looking behind at the destroyed remnants of the house before following.

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Mr.Who2123: Yes, a year fast forward…and we'll getting a couple more of those. Fluff is going to be short. Very short. But I have thought about making a fic of all one-shots on Kratos and the Aurion family while they have Lloyd. I think it would be cute to have that, because it's not a story, and I can kind of update whenever I get an idea, so I'm not always worried about a lack of them. I loved this ending. Wow, I really liked it. Controversy is always interesting to me, and an occasional argument between friends is always fun to look into. I just liked it a lot. What Yuan said also goes with the "Life isn't fair," quote which is pretty true. Well, please tell me about my "Immature Yuan and Sanaro fluff with Lloyd." I thought it was kind of extreme, but cute anyways. ;D


	50. A Year on the Run

Chapter 50: Well, staying home from school for personal reasons…NOT because I dropped out or anything…I'm just helping out my family…they're more important than school. So, aside from that, I pretty much have 24 hours to do whatever I want, so…BRING ON THE UPDATES! Oh, and I own nothing.

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Another quick year, passing by like a flash to the old Seraph. He wished time wouldn't move so quickly, that he could be with his wife and son forever, but he knew it wouldn't be so. Together, the family travelled all over Sylverant, searching for any trace of a dwarf. There had been none so far, and Kratos could tell that Anna's exsphere was in its final stage. At most, she would have a year left. The pain of the Cruxis Crystal had started to pain her all the time; sporadic attacks were no longer. It was hard for her to lift Lloyd without hurting her chest.

Kratos had moved north with the warming season. The weather was turning into a nice spring, and there was no longer a need for jackets. Lloyd was able to wear short sleeved shirts, of course in red and black shorts that matched well with the crimson. The boy's figure had thinned out from a chubby baby to a young lad, with his arms and legs longer, his "baby fat" gone, and his chin more defined. Of course, he was still adorable; he just seemed larger and more refined. Kratos loved Lloyd more than anything in the world. The Seraph would let the boy sit on his shoulders as the toddler would start clapping his hands, laughing. Another reason those started up again was because Lloyd had grown out of his "pulling hair" stage.

Once, while travelling, Lloyd had been making more defined sounds and sharper noises. He was on his way to his first word, which Kratos and Anna anticipated greatly. They were travelling from Hima, the mountain village, and they had just left an inn and stocked on supplies. Lloyd was sitting next to Anna on a bench while Kratos worked out funds with the inn keeper. He frowned, his mind concentrating, and the young mother noticed.

"Are you thinking of something?" she asked him. Lloyd had amazing comprehension. He could understand many things, but he could not say them himself. The young boy looked up, comprehending the words, and then nodded lightly. Anna smiled and ruffled Lloyd's hair with her hand.

"Eee…rrr…," he began, still frowning. The noise piqued her interest, and she listened intently. "…Dddd…Eeeeee…" Anna held her breath as the boy continued to make the noises with concentration. Kratos paid the sum of the money to the innkeeper, and walked over to the two.

"He's trying to say a word," Anna remarked to him, pointing to the still concentrating boy. Suddenly, his face brightened, and he smiled.

"RrrrreEEEEEeddDDD!!! REDREDRED!" he squealed, clapping his hands. Kratos and Anna looked to each other.

"…Red?" the Seraph echoed. Lloyd nodded and continued to squeal the word while Anna picked the boy up, looking dejected.

"He learned how to say a color before he learned to say our names," she said, looking to Kratos who also seemed a little disappointed. Kratos looked at the still laughing Lloyd with his sadness dispersing at the sight. Just seeing his son happy made the Seraph smile.

That was six months ago, when Lloyd was still one year old. Now, the three were travelling in Palmacosta, and it was nearing Lloyd's second birthday. The first one was a complete failure when the family still had a house. Lloyd fell on the cake, began crying, and didn't like any of his presents. Kratos and Anna were filled in anxiety of a repeat of the first time, as they watch Lloyd carefully run around, wobbling with every step. Kratos saw him chase a red butterfly, his arms stretched above his head as the small insect lifted higher. His fingers wiggled, hoping that it would help him reach higher, but it was just too high. He then bent his little legs and jumped up to get it, but the boy ended up missing and tripped, falling flat on his face. His face hit the dirt ground and pain crawled into it. Crying, Lloyd sat up and put his hands to his eyes as he did so.

Suddenly, the young toddler was thrown in the air, and landed on top of Kratos' shoulders. The cries of sadness turned into ones of happiness as he waved his arms in glee.

"Daaad!! Dad!!!" he said, and the Seraph's heart absolutely melted. Anna was now next to the men, smiling at the now bi-word son. When Lloyd saw his mom, he reached for her, making little "Oof" noises to get Kratos' attention. Of course, he complied, taking Lloyd off his head and giving him to Anna.

"He always seems to like you more," Kratos muttered, though he was perfectly happy. Anna laughed and pinched Lloyd's nose lightly, making him wave his arms in glee. It was such a perfect picture, with true happiness around the family. Kratos looked forward and noticed the city of Palmacosta not far away.

"If we hurry, we can look at the shops a bit," Kratos remarked, knowing that would make Anna move to a sprint for the rest of the way. She immediately began a trot with Lloyd bouncing in her arms and giggling at all the movement. Kratos sighed, putting a hand on his face to hide it. Sometimes, it was hard not to laugh at the exciting woman.

The Aurion family made it into Palmacosta within twenty minutes when it was supposed to be a one to two hour walk. Anna was tired at all, either, too. She gave Lloyd to Kratos and began to dash around the city, looking for shops to…well, shop at! Her smiles grew wide at every image of cute clothing in the windows, imagining herself in them. Kratos and Lloyd had trouble keeping up, and after a few minutes, gave up altogether. The Seraph headed for an inn to reserve a room while Anna, oblivious to her husband's decision, looked about the city with ecstasy.

The Seraph entered a nice hotel to stay, and entered it with a smile. The innkeeper exchanged keys for money, and the Seraph went upstairs to unpack the items. The family would now be staying for three to five days until they felt too comfortable in the place. That is how they travelled for almost a year now, and it was working great…except for the fact Kratos couldn't find a dwarf. His anxiety grew as quickly and unexpectedly as Lloyd, when he would relax, Anna would tell him about how her Cruxis Crystal pains her, and whenever the Seraph was prepared for an "attack" from the devilish thing, it would never happen.

The Seraph left the inn room with now only Lloyd, for Noishe stayed outside the city, and there was no need to bring anything. Within the minute he was outside the inn, Kratos noticed Anna flocking to a large shop, sparkles in her green eyes.

"Lloyd, whatever you do, do not marry someone who is crazy about shopping. It'll kill you," he told the boy. Because of the advanced word choice, the boy just looked to his father with big, confused eyes. "Let's go get Anna." The toddler understood _that_ and nodded, pointing to the shop she just went inside of. He found her looking at assortments of shoes when Kratos lightly tapped her on the shoulder.

"Anna, why don't you buy something for…," he pointed his head to Lloyd, who wasn't really listening. "We should celebrate today." Anna looked back at Kratos, then to Lloyd, and nodded happily. Kratos threw her a pouch of money, and left to occupy Lloyd so Anna could do her thing.

The first place little Lloyd wanted to be was at the large, central fountain of Palmacosta, in a plaza between the governor's building, and the church. Many other kids were playing around it as well, making paper boats and sailing them across with the help of their parents, or whether it was playing tag. Lloyd saw the fun all these kids had, and squealed happily. The Seraph let him to the stone floor, and he carefully wobbled to the group of kids.

He was accepted right away. Playing with another two year old, they began rolling a big blue and red ball back and forth to each other, giggling whenever it would bounce or fall into the water. Kratos smiled and sat down at a bench where he could watch the boy without being too close. He watched Lloyd bend over, grab the ball close to his feet, and awkwardly throw it to the other boy a couple meters away. It hit the floor and bounced, making Lloyd laugh. The other boy, with blonde hair and a blue sweater on, grabbed the ball that came close to him.

This occurred several times, with each boy laughing madly. Then, when the ball became obsolete for their fun, the boys began to play tag. Lloyd was a bit slower due to his lack of time for play on the road, and was "it" most of the time. The boy didn't even know what the game was, so he didn't mind when he had to run around. One instance, he was "it" and started running after the blonde boy with a smile on his face. His foot caught onto a protruding stone, and the boy tripped. He landed on top of the blonde boy, and they rolled around in heap. The blonde obtained a red knee, and began crying while Lloyd stared at him with a bloody foot and cut hands. He was not crying at all. In fact, he wobbled to the boy and patted him on the shoulder, silently apologizing for his clumsiness. The boy eventually stopped and smiled, the comfort Lloyd bringing working very well. Kratos watched this with full interest, and stood up when he saw the bloodied foot. Quickly, he knelt next to Lloyd, who had a grin on his face, and lifted him up.

"Does your foot hurt?" he asked him. Lloyd comprehended the words for a moment, and then shook his head. He looked at the cut, and chose to head to the inn for treatment. "Say good bye for a little, because we need to fix your foot." Lloyd waved to the boy, still in his dad's arms, and then held onto his dad. When they left the plaza, and were alone, Lloyd immediately began to change. Tears filled his eyes and his body shook.

"Does it hurt now?" the Seraph asked, seeing the sudden change. Lloyd slowly nodded, the tears rolling down his cheeks. Kratos then figured out that Lloyd had refused to look weak in front of anyone besides his dad. "Lloyd, you don't have to hide your feelings." The boy nodded and sobbed into the cloak that Kratos wore.

_He's so smart…he already knows how to hide how he hurts, and deceive even me…poor child, he just wants everyone to be happy around him, and he knew that if he cried, that he would create sadness and tension with those around him…how did he figure that out? _Kratos mulled glancing at his son's dirty face. It also bore scratches from the hard stone fall.

Inside the inn, Kratos began using his magic to heal. He touched the red toes with his hand, and muttered a First Aid. The blood dried, and the cut vanished. Lloyd laughed from the tingling sensation that went through his body. The light cuts on his cheeks disappeared, and the sore hands and knees became well once more.

"All better," Kratos said, smiling at the toddler. Lloyd felt his foot in wonderment, and then made a toothy grin.

"Daddy!" he squealed, and gave him a big hug. Kratos smiled, and gave him a hug back. "Love yoooou!" The new words caught Kratos in surprise, and his heart melted in a heartbeat. Lately, it has been doing that more and more, it seemed to him. Just then, Anna appeared with three boxes in her arms. She smiled when she saw the boys embracing. Then, she placed the boxes on a table and picked up Lloyd.

"You know what time it is?" she asked, smiling.

"Moooomm!! Love yooou!" he squealed. What's with the sudden vocabulary boost? Anna hugged her boy tightly, her heart as light as a feather.

"Well, it's birthday time!" she exclaimed. Lloyd looked at her, confused, and Anna smiled at his confusion. She merely opened one box, and inside was a small, yet pretty brown cake. Lloyd widened his eyes and made his inarticulate noise to get down. She complied, and he wobbled over to the table. He poked the cake and licked his finger. Yummy chocolaty flavor came into his mouth, and Lloyd smiled. He was about to dip again when Anna swooped him up and placed him on the bed.

"I'll get you a slice," she told him. Lloyd squealed and clapped his hands when he received a plate with the cake on it. Grabbing the fork embedded in the top of it, he made a mess as he chomped on the food with glee. Anna grabbed a slice for herself, but Kratos didn't want any. He chuckled as Lloyd managed to get more on his face than in his mouth. The toddler licked his chocolaty face, and wiped off the more stubborn crumbs when he was done.

"Want new toys?" she asked him. Lloyd's eyes brightened, and he nodded, grinning from ear to ear. She obtained the second of the three boxes and set it on his lap. He ripped apart the bag while going through the box, his want for a new toy very great. Inside, there was a smaller, and flatter box. Happily, Lloyd opened it, and inside was a set of red trains, painted down to the very last detail. He squealed happily at the sight and opened that box as well. Grabbing the plastic trains, he set them on the table and connected the trains with its cable cars. Now making "choo choo" noises, he ran it along the table, happily giggling.

"Lloyd, we have one more present!" Anna said, smiling with another box, much larger than the other. Lloyd looked at it in awe and ran to his mother, stretching his arms. Anna chuckled and gave him the present. Lloyd looked at it for a moment, wondering what it could possibly be, and then tore the box open. Inside, there was no extra box, but red paper holding his present inside loosely. Lloyd ripped open the paper with sheer force, and took out the new toy.

They were two wooden swords, dull and light. The toddler knew what a sword was from his dad, when he would practice with it, and began swinging them around with glee. It was then fifteen seconds later that he managed to knock over the cake and it splattered all over his head. But Lloyd was happy. For the rest of the day, he was able to eat cake whenever he wanted to.

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Mr.Who2123: In the beginning, Lloyd was the baby from hell, and now he's the boy from heaven. I just love the idea of a smart baby Lloyd because Kratos wouldn't raise him any other way. To me, I liked this chapter's random fluffiness! There will only be one more of these, however, which is the next chapter, so be prepared to have it leave soon! Oh, and please review…they have become very scarce lately…


	51. True Spirit

Mr.Who2123: Ah, let's see if I can knock off another chapter. AHH!!! Five more!!!! Wow, it's ending so quickly!!! O.o Well, I own nothing, but you know that already.

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Sometimes, time goes by so slowly that you feel a certain moment can go on forever. Other times, time goes by so quickly that your head spins with all the speed of which events pass by. Kratos has been suffering both at the same time. He couldn't believe that his son was already three, and that he could create sentences and run without toppling over in a couple minutes…or seconds. And time moved so slowly as well. He looked and looked for a dwarf, and it feels like he had been doing it his whole life. However, his searches were still unfruitful.

Now in the middle of a forest in below Iselia, close to the House of Salvation, Kratos and Anna had set up camp for the night. The strong reds of sunset were fading to purple, and then inevitably to black as it did every night. The three were having a dinner at this time, and Anna had made fresh vegetable soup with bits of chicken. Lloyd's baby teeth had grown in, and now he could eat harder foods. His mouth bit into anything that looked edible, because the growing boy was constantly hungry. His cuteness and big eyes were still there, but the figure was just growing more into a defined person, and less of a little boy. His fingers were nimble and he could catch anything if it was in view. He had a quick reaction speed, but not a very good mental one. He thought over his words slowly, and he spoke less than normal. The boy was truly changing.

In addition to him growing, Kratos had begun to teach Lloyd how to fight with two swords. The boy insisted on two instead of one, saying he could hit the bad guy more, and Kratos knew he wouldn't be able to convince the boy otherwise. The boy could make quick, yet wild slashes, and missed his targets most of the time, but he was learning quickly. The target was also usually a tree, with a red line as the slash area. Kratos would chuckle from time to time when Lloyd would stumble with the wooden blades. However, he never gave up; his will and stubbornness always got him to get a few nice strikes on the tree.

Lloyd took the makeshift bowl from his mom, and looked into the soup. Seeing food in there, he immediately wolfed/drank it down with speed only he could muster. He ate through the chunks of carrots, chicken, potato, and anything else in there, his teeth moving quickly. Within minutes, the boy was asking, "Seconds, seconds!"

Kratos merely finished one bowl of the soup before he became satisfied, and waited for others to finish. Suddenly, Lloyd stopped his second bowl and looked at his parents with seriousness.

"Mommy…Daddy…why do we move around a lot?" he asked, looking from the asked parents. Kratos looked to the right, scratching his nose while Anna gently nudged the fire on with another log.

"Well, Lloyd, it's because there are some bad guys chasing us…and we have to run away until Daddy can find a person that can help us beat the bad guys," Anna explained simply with a sad smile. Lloyd looked from his mom to his dad, and nodded. If mommy says it's true, then it IS true.

"How come Daddy can't use his sword to beat the bad guys?" he asked again after a couple more thoughtful bites. Kratos took this question as his own.

"There are too many Lloyd…Daddy could get hurt…and I don't want to let any of you get hurt, either," he replied, his dark eyes looking from his wife to his son. They both looked at him with a mix of solemnity and gratitude at his defensive position for his family. The eating continued in silence after that, Kratos passing dark glances at his wife, while she sighed. The spirit became dull and sad after the answer had come around, and it was not lifting at all.

By this time, it was nightfall, and the small stars twinkled in the night sky. Kratos looked up at them, and ironically, smiled. He was never the first to smile, but something humorous had arisen in him. He glanced at Lloyd, who was now full and fingering his red train. He still loved to look at them whenever he was bored, and his imagination would run wild.

"Son, let's go out for a bit…I want to show you something," he said softly. Lloyd looked to his mom for answers, but she was just as confused as he, and Lloyd stood up. He grasped the large, gloved hand with both of his tiny ones, and they walked off. Anna sighed as she followed them with her eyes.

"They're more alike than they think they are," she muttered to herself. After another moment, she let the fire die down, and set up the blankets for her family. "I can't wait to see what my son will do when he grows up…he'll be just as amazing as Kratos." She didn't even know how right she was.

The light of the campfire left the two's sight, and Lloyd's confidence with it. He shivered, moving closer to his dad.

"Where we going?" he asked softly, craning his neck to his father. Kratos looked down at him with a smile and loved in his eyes, and pointed forward. Just ahead was a large, grass field. A lone tree stood conspicuously in the middle, tall, thick, and brave. They moved to it, and then Kratos suddenly sat down against it. Beckoning his son, Kratos put a hand on his lap. Lloyd eagerly crawled into it, and put his back against his father's chest. Suddenly, Lloyd wasn't cold anymore, but warmly embraced by his father.

"I won't be able to do this much with you anymore," he whispered. Lloyd looked back, sadness glinting in his big, brown eyes.

"Why?"

"Because, you're just getting too big, Lloyd," he answered. "And you won't fit in my lap in a couple years." Lloyd looked down, and cuddled against his father's chest. He could feel the warmth coming from it, making him snuggle even closer.

"Daddy?" Lloyd asked, looking up. A warm smile beckoned him to continue.

"Is Mommy sick?" There was silence. Kratos looked away, sadness in his dark eyes.

"Yes…yes she is, but I'm going to find a cure so she'll be all better," he answered. Another hesitation before the Seraph continued. "…Let's not dwell on that. I just want to be with you." Lloyd nodded and smiled, still snuggled against his father. The boy found his eyes drooping, and he let sleep overtake him. He snuggled even closer, and Kratos placed his arms around the small body with love.

"Son…," was what Lloyd suddenly heard. He looked up to see it was still the dead of night. He was still in his father's arms under the tree. "Look at the stars, Lloyd. There's billions." The boy didn't know what 'billion' meant, but he knew it was a big number. Doing as his father did so, Lloyd turned around, and faced the open sky.

It was just as his father said. There were billions of stars in a dark sky. They all twinkled differently, each one individual in its own way. Suddenly, a light blinked in the sky, and then shot across it, brighter than all the rest. And then it disappeared as soon as it appeared.

"Wow, Daddy, what was that?" he loudly whispered, turning around. Kratos smiled and looked up.

"That's a shooting star, Lloyd. Legends say if you make a wish when you see a shooting star, that it will come true," he whispered kindly back. Lloyd smiled and turned back towards the sky. He felt warm arms embrace him tightly as he did so. Silently, the young boy made a wish.

_Let Mommy get rid of her sickness and let her be happy,_ he thought. Lloyd looked up again, and smiled at the large number.

"Lots of them!" he whispered.

"Yes, there are," was the soft response back. "You can go to sleep, if you want. I'll be here, to protect you." Lloyd had no doubt that his father would do so, and silently closed his eyes. The billions of stars disappeared from his view, but he could still see them in his mind. He numbly felt warmth spread around his whole body, even past Kratos' arms length. There was a light blue light shining in the creases of his eyes. It was a beautiful color, and somehow, it lulled the boy into sleep, making him smile as he did so.

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In two years, the size of the Renegades skyrocketed from 300 to 1,000 members. The bases had also grown, from one to two, one in each world. The Triet was in Sylverant while the Flanoir one was in Tethe'alla. Either way, they were both hidden very well.

Each and every person had been a volunteer from various cities or villages, and most of them from Tethe'alla, especially since many were disgusted at the caste system in that world. The armor had changed from simple, conspicuous, and battered to looking exactly like a Desian's high-tech armor, except for one thing. To distinguish Renegades and Desians, the fakes would wear a special transmitter on their right shoulder. To further protection, each one was personally programmed, so only the proper owner could speak into it without the device completely self-destructing. Also, it was only activated while on missions concerning Desians so no accidents happen in the base itself. The bombs, in fact, were created specially by Yuan and Sanaro together.

One of the days, Yuan and Sanaro both set out for Ozette so that they could recruit any half-elves or humans there, even if it was am orthodox area. Most people stood strongly against half-elves and followed the church with sick and twisted dignity.

This time, however, instead of using posters and making a private speech, Yuan had decided to make this public, for Martel's sake. He remembered vividly when she had spoken in this same area, unafraid of the dangers that could befall her. Yuan was to do the same, with only Sanaro as support.

Shaking, Yuan stepped on a makeshift stage that he pulled out of his wing pack. He looked among the people who noticed this act, and headed towards him with skepticism and mistrust in their eyes. They could tell Yuan was a half-elf right off the bat. Already, the going is tough, and Yuan hadn't even started talking yet.

A young, dark haired half-elf walked by the village of Ozette. He wore a circular, blue hat over his ears, hiding his identity while he was in the place. Sure, he may have lived here, but people still treated him like dirt whenever they found out what race he was. His blue eyes caught sight of a half-elf, proudly _not_ wearing a hat or hiding his ears, was beginning a speech. The young half-elf's interest was piqued, and he walked over.

"Citizens of Ozette. My name is Yuan, and I am a half-elf, and this is Sanaro, my human friend," he began. Immediately boos came from everywhere, and Yuan frowned at the people.

"Get the dirt and the dirt-lover outta here!" one shouted, louder than the rest. The half-elf looked to the person, and glared at him. Angry cheers were with him, and the noise grew louder. While everyone blindly yelled, the half-elf saw Yuan make a purple light in his hand, but it disappeared the second it was seen. A second later, thunder rolled across the sky, and purple bolts fell extremely near the village. The outbursts ended, and the speech began.

"I am here to give peace and equality to all half-elves, as well as create a world that is filled with peace. Just like there is Sanaro, there are also many humans in this organization as well. Remember people…just because you're a half-elf doesn't mean you're dirt, and just because you're a human…does NOT mean that you are higher than others! Now, whoever wants to create a world without discrimination, come with me!"

Yuan stepped the stage and opened his wing pack to put the stage inside of it. Sanaro folded his arms as his eyes darted across the people with a mix of grief and anger.

The young half-elf smiled at the two daring people. Shakily, he grabbed the blue hat and pulled it off of his head. Dark hair, spiked back, was shown, and the beginnings of a beard were shown as well. He smiled wider, feeling the breezy freedom, and ran over to the two Renegade leaders.

"Sirs Yuan and Sanaro…could I…could I join your team?" he asked. So far, he was the only person who had approached the two. Sanaro smiled at the young half-elf, rustling his hair with his glove.

"Of course…what's your name?" Yuan replied, a smile on his face.

"Botta, sir," he answered.

"Will you work hard for this group?" That was Sanaro, his arms folded.

"Harder than anyone else, sir,"

"Then do us a favor," Yuan began as well. He pulled out three Rhieards out of his wing pack, one for each. It seemed there was to be no one else coming.

"Sir?"

"Don't call us 'sirs'."

"Yes, s-…Yuan!"

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Mr.Who2123: CUTE!!! I loved the fluff! And yes, that is where Botta comes from! Yay!!! Well, please review…FOUR MORE CHAPTERS NOW!!!!


	52. Master Finds his Puppet

Mr.Who2123: If I'm REALLY lucky, I could finish this in one day. Or two if I'm just lucky…we'll have to see! Well, I own nothing, like usual.

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Kvar of the Asgard ranch sat on his chair, thumbing old reports. They were reports from over five years ago, when he still held subject 'A012' in captivity. Everything had gone downhill from then. Exsphere production had fallen, and the cities of Luin and Asgard had heightened their defense after the grand escape by the subject, resulting in a loss of prisoners for his own self. Sighing, he picked up a report on his Angelus subject, which was a day before she escaped, and looked over the details. Angrily, he threw it down once more, but his eyes were still on it. An idea dawned on Kvar as he picked it up again and looked at the date it was made.

"The rotten subject must almost be done with her Cruxis Crystal by now…if I don't find her, then someone else will, and take all the credit!" he tossed the paper back onto the desk. His teeth gritted and his thin eyes were fixed at the sheet.

"Oh Kvar, don't get angry now…," a slightly static-sounding voice said from the right. Kvar whirled on it, and saw it was Yggdrasil in a projector, his arms folded and his face a smug smirk. The Desian Cardinal spluttered a moment before quickly kneeling to his master.

"Good afternoon, my lord. What news do you have?" he asked, unusually stiff from the embarrassment. Yggdrasil unfolded his arms, and grabbed for something out of the projector screen range. Curiously, he waited as the Cruxis leader brought his arm back in range with a paper in his hand. On it, there was a security picture, taken by scouting Desians.

"I obtained this from Forcystus, and thought you might like it," he said. It was a dark picture, which was taken at nightfall, and there were two figures sitting against a tree, one on the other. "This is Kratos and his son. It seems he married your Angelus subject." Kvar widened his dark eyes, and smirked.

"My lord, I will take back that Cruxis Crystal with all haste!" he exclaimed. Yggdrasil nodded and put the paper on a table that Kvar couldn't see.

"Don't disappoint me, Kvar," he warned, and the screen was turned off. Kvar grinned deviously as he called his whole strike team right away. _Kratos, you pathetic, inferior being…I will kill you and your forsaken family is it's the last thing I do! _He grabbed his old reports with one swipe of his arm. Quickly, he stuffed them in old files, and waited for his team.

Five hundred Desians, each one picked by Kvar himself, were now waiting in front of the Cardinal with utmost respect and stillness. They knew that if they made a noise, they could set off a spark in the leader. Kvar's thin eyes looked over the mass of men in front of him, a quick plan forming.

"We are going to the Iselia region to get my Angelus Project. I want you all to come with me. …You!" he pointed at a soldier in the front row. The poor Desian nearly peed his pants at the singling out, but managed to stay calm and attentive. "I want you in charge!"

"…Sir!" he saluted. He almost couldn't believe he was asked to do this, and his surprise made him hesitant to answer.

"Just make sure that regulation moves as normal," he said, giving him a warning glare. The Desian nodded, sweat running down his helmeted face. He was given a book of schedules and tasks for the week, and the Desian lumbered off, ecstatic that he was given the job.

"Stupid Desian…the work is harder than he thinks," he mumbled, watching him with a glare. "Now, come! Let's get my project back!" He walked out of his huge room, and into the portal, with his soldiers behind him.

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The father had walked back into the small campsite at around midnight, his eyes fixed on the dying embers of the coal. They crackled softly with the slowed heat, still orange from the fire. Kratos glanced at Anna, using the embers to see her. She was sound asleep, silently rising and falling with her breathing. Finally, the Seraph let his wings disappear in a mere moment, no longer needing them. He had used them to keep Lloyd warm with mana, and the soft light had lulled the boy to sleep. Now, the boy was in the Seraph's arms, sleeping soundly as well. His arms were around his father's neck, and his legs were supported by his dad.

With the shuffling of feet, Anna heard woke up, and looked up at her husband.

"How is he?" she asked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Kratos walked next to Lloyd's blankets and placed the boy beneath the numerous sheets. The boy did not stir one bit with the movement.

"He's sound asleep…he knew you're not feeling well," he replied, watching the boy. "He's so insightful…I hope he makes better choices than I did…I want to help take the right path." Anna nodded, smiling at the boy. Together, the mother and father fell asleep, waiting for the morning to come.

Lloyd woke up feeling movement all around him. It took a couple minutes for him to realize that _he_ was the one moving. In fact, Kratos was carrying the young boy easily with one arm while the other held the bags. Anna was sitting on Noishe, who was solemnly watching the path ahead.

It was dawn, just the time before the sun would rise from the eastern peaks. The black and whites of night turned into the soft colors of a new day. The purples were a soft gray with a purple hue lightly mixed in. The grass became minty green and shone in the new light. It was in this time that Lloyd had woken up. He opened his eyes to see a purple shoulder pad move up and down with the movement. It took him no time to know who's that was.

Daddy!" he exclaimed, now completely awake. He gave him a quick hug before asking him to put him on the floor. Kratos gladly complied, and set him on his feet. The small boot clad feet immediately began running forward as he occupied his time with exercising.

"He'll wear himself out before we even get to Iselia," she remarked, smiling with humor. Kratos nodded, watching him carefully…more carefully than normal…

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Kratos was holding Lloyd as he slept. They were under that lone tree, and Kratos watched the sky. The stars were dwindling from the light of his wings the came from the Seraph's back.

A click noise sounded about fifty meters away, but Kratos heard it completely. He stood up, holding Lloyd with an arm, and his sword with the other. But there was nothing in that long plain, nothing but that lone tree, and the father and son.

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He turned his head quickly and looked back at the dirt trail behind them. There was nothing there, as he expected, but he couldn't be too careful. He looked forward once more, towards Lloyd. He was pretending he had swords in his tiny hands, and made slashes at the air, making noises as he did so.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! Take that, bad guy!" he yelled. He jumped, making a downward slash, and landed quite well ironically. Kratos nodded his head in approval while Anna just watched with a smile.

"Keep going, Lloyd!" Anna cheered. Lloyd nodded, making more air slashes as the family walked.

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Iselia was a bright, pretty village. The people smiled often; always greeting the other with full character and willingness to listen. It was the village that would bear the Chosen and bring the world into salvation.

It was this village, which the Aurions entered. They were let in with no problem by the guards, each of them welcoming the group graciously into the land. Anna smiled at the place, looking about all the humble houses with a smile.

"I few can, I would like to settle here when we finish our fight against Mithos," she said. Kratos nodded, looking about with satisfaction himself.

"I could get a good job as a mercenary for various priests that live here. After, the main branch of the church is in this village," he replied. Lloyd ran around, giggling at all the happy people.

Little did the family know that an army of Desians were hot on their heels…

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Mr.Who2123: Well, the last four chapters are going to be ridiculously short…I have to break it to you now. I'm running out of ideas quickly, and can't keep coming up with fillers. Well, please review!!


	53. Run!

Mr.Who2123: Well, I won't be able to finish today…so over the weekend for sure…I hope. Well, I don't own anything related to Tales of Symphonia.

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Phaidra was the lead priestess of the Church of Martel. She loved everyone, despite any differences or strange characteristics. Her face was almost a permanent smile that could radiate the room. Her kindness and humor would keep the old priests of Martel in a cheery mood whenever there was any trouble. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail, falling to her shoulders. It was a light golden color, and reflected the light of the sun beautifully. The priestess was about thirty-five at this time, but her faith in the Goddess was as strong, if not, stronger than the other priests that have dedicated their lives to the church. Phaidra had a small body, with thin limbs, but she was strong. She was filled with stubborn strength, and never relied on others to help her, unless it was absolutely necessary. On one occasion, it was particularly difficult for her when she broke her arm. She was required, as lead priestess, to hold the book of Martel with both hands, and read from the ancient language. With her arm in a sling, however, she couldn't hold the book with both hands, and was forced to have a priest hold one side of the book while she held the other side. During the sermon, Phaidra was red the whole time.

When Phaidra heard of a small family running from Desians had entered the village, she made it a priority to make them feel at home. She invited Kratos and his wife and child to her home for some dinner, and prepared arduously for it. She made fresh noodles with butter sauce (to Kratos' GREAT fortune) and had fresh roast beef with steamed vegetables. A meal of that caliber is greatly significant especially for the smaller village Iselia was. Many did not have the money or materials to create such a fantastic feast, and looked at the new people with awe. They were special enough to get an amazing meal from the lead priestess herself, and that made them worth the people's attention.

When the family crept inside the nice, two story house, they smelled the wonderful aroma of food being cooked. The scent welcomed them inside, and Kratos closed the door with his hand. The other held Lloyd, who peered about the house with awe; his big, brown eyes studying every detail.

"I go down?" he asked softly. His voice sounded as though he was afraid to upset the mystical feeling about the house. Kratos looked about a little more before complying and setting him down softly.

"Come in, everyone!" a voice called from the room to the right. They turned their heads to that area, and slowly began walking forward. Lloyd held tight to his father's hand as they did so, and his head did not stop turning every way it could to observe the house. When the family came inside, Phaidra was happily finishing her sauce when they did come in. She saw them from the corner of her eye, and stopped the cooking. She grabbed a towel and wiped her hands before approaching the family.

"Welcome to my house. I'm Phaidra, the lead priestess," she introduced. They never had a chance to really meet before the dinner, so the greetings were not strange. Kratos saw her stick out her hand, and the Seraph shook it with a smile. Anna did the same, introducing the family.

"This is Kratos, I'm Anna," she began when Phaidra let her hand drop. "And this is Lloyd." The mother placed a hand on his shoulder, and Lloyd looked up to his mom before watching Phaidra in wonder. The priestess crouched down, placing her hands on her knees, and then stuck one out.

"Hello, Lloyd," she said. She had a smile on her benign face, and Lloyd watched it a bit before sticking out his little hand. Phaidra shook it happily, and then went up to her full height. "Take a seat; I'm almost done with the sauce." The family looked right to a table for four, and each sat in three. The chairs were padded velvet, and comfy to sit in. Lloyd smiled at the new feeling and bounced in it.

It was only a couple minutes later that the family saw Phaidra pouring white, creamy sauce over the yellow noodles inside a large pan. Setting it in the middle of a table, she then turned and grabbed the vegetables and meat. Plates and silverware were already on the table, so there was no worry about that. Lloyd grabbed his spoon, and dug it into the noodles without Phaidra even at the table.

"Lloyd, wait for Mrs. Brunel!" Anna hissed. Lloyd took the spoon out and set it down, of course after eating a noodle that had stuck onto it. The hostess laughed when she sat down shortly after.

"Don't worry about it. You don't have to be so formal," she laughed kindly. Lloyd understood, and got a big spoonful of noodles before Anna could tell him it was alright. Shortly after grabbing those, he obtained vegetables from the basket, and received a slice of meat from Kratos. The Seraph cut the meat into tiny pieces while Lloyd inhaled noodles and vegetables in giant bites.

"So…how long have you been together as a couple?" the priestess asked, looking to both of them with benevolence.

"About four years now," Anna answered, patting her husband on the shoulder. He smiled and continued eating. He was not a fun of talking, obviously, and would let his wife do all of it. Lloyd looked up at the priestess in a mouthful of roast beef, and watched her carefully place her food into her mouth. The boy slowed his chewing, and then swallowed the mass of food.

"How old are you, Lloyd?" Phaidra asked when she noticed the toddler was watching her. Lloyd, caught off by the question, jumped when she said that, and thought a moment.

"Three!" he exclaimed. He put three fingers up to show her what he meant, and Phaidra smiled. The four continued eating until Phaidra suddenly stopped, and her usual smile became serious.

"I heard you are being chased by Desians…do you need any aid from us?" she asked. Kratos and Anna glanced at each other, and then nodded in approval. Their appetites suddenly left them, too, and they set down their forks with a soft clang of metal on metal.

"No, I think we're good…but we need to find a dwarf capable of making a type of Key Crest," Kratos answered, watching the woman with a piercing gaze. He analyzed the woman deeply. He could never be too careful about _anyone._ With the question, Phaidra's face brightened, and a small grin tugged at her lips.

"There's a dwarf who does that…he lives north of here, past the ranch," she answered. Kratos and Anna widened their eyes, and stood up.

"Excuse us, but we've been looking for a dwarf for years…we need to go now," he explained. Phaidra stood up as well, not minding the rush at all.

"Well, good luck on your travels, wherever they may lead," she concluded. Anna happily shook it, and nearly skipped out with Lloyd wobbling after her in confusion. Kratos gave thanks to Phaidra before he ran out with haste.

The family basically ran to the exit of the village, with Anna and Lloyd on Noishe while Kratos walked very quickly. His smile was plastered on his face, and never left as they walked.

"You're going to be saved, Anna!" he exclaimed, hugging her. Anna laughed and gave him one back before giving him a quick kiss. Lloyd giggled at all the ecstasy and excessive movements made by his parents, and clapped his hands.

It was a couple hours after noon when they left the village, and still had some time to get to the house of which Phaidra spoke of. The trees quickly thickened into forests, and the paths became worn dirt ones that sometimes ended abruptly and then started up again a couple yards further. Myriads of animal noises could be heard in the forest, and Lloyd loved them. He tried to imitate squirrels the whole way through, but sounded more like a laughing old man than a squirrel.

"A012 has been sighted. Move at full speed!" a voice suddenly called from the distance. A Desian, with binoculars, had sighted the family, and was showing the team leader the location. None other than Kvar had shown up, his thing eyes analyzing the party from far away.

"That's her! Get them!" he yelled. The Desians roared in approval, and began running towards the group with all their haste that heavily armored men could muster. Kratos whispered something in Noishe's ear, and the dog suddenly ran off in full speed. The speed of an Arshis is up to three times the speed of a normal human, four if it's one as heavily armed as a Desian. Kratos also began running, after he let his wings spread out, giving him extra balance and speed.

The Desians stopped at the sight of the wings, their awe incredible as the man disappeared almost as fast as the protozoan. Kvar gritted his small teeth and stamped his foot on the floor. The hate of humans was constantly growing inside of him, but it was skyrocketing after this.

_Kratos is an angel that betrayed Cruxis! This is why humans are disgusting inferior being!_ He yelled in his mind before turning to his men.

"We need to move right-!" he stopped, listening.

"…on these corrupt souls. Rest in peace, sinners! JUDGMENT!!" Kratos cast, and then his voice disappeared. The sky darkened, the fear in the Desians grew tenfold, and mana welled in the area. In a moment, white, bright lights flashed down upon many of the five hundred Desians, the power near overwhelming. Kvar cast a Guardian over himself, but many of his other men fell at the hands of the devastating spell. Of the five hundred Desians, only about fifty were left from the blow.

_He must have wasted most of his energy on that attack…while he is weak, I'll kill him!_ The leader thought, beckoning his lucky men to follow. Hundreds of bodies littered the dirt floor, soiling it with blood and metal. Within the hour, all of the corpses had disappeared, and had been eaten by hungry monsters watching from the sidelines.

Kratos moved as quickly as his energy deprived body could. The spell, even with a Faerie Ring, had caused major mana depletion, and if he used much more, he'd be doomed. He had barely caught up to Noishe, who had slowed his pace for the Seraph. Not much far behind, Kvar's cursing and running could be heard. Lloyd had become silent the whole time. It was as if the young boy knew that they were in a hard situation, and had decided not to pester anyone with talk.

Dodging trees, jumping through bushes, and running over rocky terrain, the teams both moved with haste; one running for their lives, the other trying to take the others. Noishe had begun to tire out quickly, and begun slowing down his pace. It was now down to about a human running full speed, but that was incredibly slow for one as strong as the Arshis. Noishe's tongue rolled out of his canine mouth, and his dark, beady eyes were focused on moving forward, and nothing else.

"Kratos, come back here!" the evil shriek of Kvar sounded. Kratos made no response whatsoever, but Anna turned around and stuck her tongue out at him. The thin eyes narrowed on the test subject, and locked onto her. His teeth ground against each other fiercely, and his anger began seeping out of him.

The mad glare turned into a sneer when Kratos and Anna passed the Iselia Human Ranch, and beyond that, cliffs were above the paths, portentously waiting for someone to move across them. They were extremely dangerously, but were the fastest way to the dwarf's home, and might be the only solution for the Aurion family.

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Mr.Who2123: Sorry for the lack of updates(which is like, only a couple days) and…AHH!! WE'RE ALMOST DONE!!!! The next couple of chapters, I will try to make dramatic and action-packed, so get ready!!!! WOOT! Oh, and please review!!!


	54. I Love You

Mr.Who2123: Kind of pre-wrote this chapter, so this one is going to be fast. HERE WE GO!!! T.T I own nothing related to Tales of Symphonia or Namco.

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The family had accidentally moved straight to the Iselia Ranch, and was now trapped. Behind, Kvar's men were catching up quickly, and if they tried to run, they'd only get in more trouble with Forcystus and his men. Kratos' ears picked up the sound of feet, now louder than ever. His mind racing, he looked around, and noticed a tall cliff to the right. It led to the dwarf's house, and Kratos smirked.

"Follow me, Noishe!" he commanded, and ran to the right. The protozoan took no time to wait, and followed his friend. The Seraph used his wings to fly up quickly to the top while Noishe crouched low to jump. His hind legs pushed him up ledge after ledge, until he was where Kratos waited. The protozoan was tired, and his tongue hung out of his mouth, but he was ready to press forward.

"Anna," Kratos abruptly said, looking back at her. She listened intently, cold seat running down her face. "Go to the dwarf's home. That's most important right now. I can take care of Kvar and his men." The young mother knew better then to question her husband, and gave him a final kiss before moving Noishe on carefully. He moved slowly, as not to make a careless mistake and fall off the thin ledge of the cliff.

Just as Anna had left the area, Kratos turned to the bottom of the cliff. His dark eyes caught onto Kvar's reduced group with hatred burning in him. It also didn't take Kvar to see the Seraph, and give him a glare in return.

"Kratos, where is my Angelus Project?!" he hissed, stamping his foot. Kratos made no answer, but pulled out his Flamberge from his sheath. A grin came to the Cardinal's face.

"So, you think you can win. Well, come try!" he yelled, and pulled out his thunder staff. Despite it being a magical weapon, the tip was as sharp as the point of a sword, and just as deadly. The Seraph gripped his sword, and jumped down, using his wings as support. While he fell, he cast a spell with speed only he could muster.

"Eruption!" he yelled. By the time he landed, about five Desians had been caught in the spell, and were now five piles of burnt metal. This did not deter Kvar, though, as he jumped to the back, and began casting a spell of his own.

"Thunder Prism!" he yelled. The spell was a quick one, even in its large power, and the Seraph was directly caught in the triangle of magic. The thunder shot through each angle, and all of them hit Kratos with staggering power. He fell to one knee from the blow, but was forced to keep moving due to the charging Desians. He brought his sword up to block blows and retaliate as best he could. If he made a false misstep, he was dead.

The Seraph ducked under a spear, and wrenched it from the hand. Now with two weapons, Kratos used the spear for long reach, and his sword to defend. His spear had enough stability to knock three people over in one swipe. He parried a sword swipe, and managed to gut out the swordsman with his flaming sword. Of course, two more jumped in the dead one's place, bringing grief upon the Seraph. He jumped on top of a high cliff, and began casting a spell.

"Thunder Blade!" he said, thrusting his hand out to enforce the spell. The clouds in the sky had been gathering for some time now and looked like it could rain anytime. Out of those clouds, mana welled in it, and then a blade of thunder came down upon three Desians, crushing them in the blow. Circles of magic surrounded the men in a radius of thirty feet, sending deadly shocks to them. The men fell with a yell, but became crisped bodies and metal. Ten thousand volts of electricity were conducted into that armor, and were basically a death trap for any who dare touch it.

Kvar was only left with about ten men now, and the Desians were afraid to advance upon the godly fighter. The Cardinal grinned, however, when they locked glares for a moment.

"I bet my other team has already gotten that inferior being by now," he said. There was no reply, but Kratos widened his dark eyes with fear. He left to the dwarf's house with all haste, not even looking back to watch Kvar laughing.

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Anna had seen Desians coming up quickly, past Kratos while he was fighting the main bulk. She urged Noishe on with all haste, her fear growing and growing. Lloyd was laughing from the intense speed of the run, but Anna hushed him kindly. She didn't want anyone to see or hear them moving. The cliff was thinning as it moved farther along, but Anna noticed that there was a large, circular area which could be scaled down. Close to it was smoke from a not far chimney, and a roof poking out of the thick mass of trees.

_That must be it!_ She exclaimed in her thought, smiling. _I'm going to be saved from this atrocious thing!_ Her hand came to her chest where the Cruxis Crystal was embedded. It was completely blue now, and all it had to do was drain the rest of the subject's mana before it was complete. She gulped when she thought of her Crystal doing that.

When the group made it to the large area on the cliff, Noishe collapsed, tired of running, and Anna stepped off with Lloyd in her arms.

"Good job, Noishe," she cooed, and looked downwards. The house was very close to them, and they merely had to wait for Kratos to bring her down. It would be too risky without him. Footsteps echoing in the background made Anna whirl on the noise. Three Desians, each with grinning sneers, were closing in on Anna. She began to run, but the cliff was now a dead end, as there was no other way to leave the area.

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Kratos moved as quickly as his feet could carry him. His wings flapped incessantly, giving him as much speed as they could. Up ahead, he caught sight of Noishe crouching low and baring his large fangs. More fear shot through the Seraph like an arrow.

_Am I too late?_ The question made him move even faster, as well as his heart. He felt it would burst from his chest as he moved. A more clear view as he moved on showed that Anna was at the edge of the cliff with Lloyd crying in her arms. Kratos urged himself forward, though his energy was depleting quickly. He watched Noishe spring into movement and go for one Desian. However, he missed, and landed about ten feet away from Anna. Kratos had made it to Noishe and kept moving, but the Desian had moved upon Anna and grabbed the crystal on her body. The Seraph yelled, reaching with his hand. The Desian smirked and pulled it off roughly. Blood welled on Anna's chest, and she fell down.

In rage, Kratos pulled out his blade in a flash and ruthlessly stabbed him in the face. The blood spilled everywhere, including all over the Seraph's face. The body fell to the floor in a bloody mess, and the Seraph turned to his wife. He dashed over to her and lifted her up with one arm while the other grabbed the bloody crystal. Lloyd was sitting next to Noishe and crying his heart out. Tears freely fell from his face in grief over the horrible sight.

"Come here Lloyd," Kratos called as kindly as he could. The boy nodded shakily, and wobbled over to him. He clutched onto his father's cloak tightly, still sniffling. Anna slowly opened her eyes, pain flashing through her. She winced when her body became tingly, but she smiled at the sight of her family.

"Kratos…I know my mana is going to get out of control and kill me," she whispered. She lifted her hand, and Kratos grasped it tightly. Tears filled his eyes and flowed down his bloody cheeks. "Take Lloyd and leave…I'm sorry…I can't be with you…any…more." The hand begun shaking incredibly fast, and the skin changed. Green hued the young woman, and her mana welled inside of her. Lloyd screamed and Kratos still held tightly.

"No, Anna, I could never leave you!" he yelled. The words came to deaf ears, though. The green skin became gnarled and long, and the woman looked like a stretched, deformed version of her. Instead of a head and hair, a circular top and a big, red eye stared at Kratos from the floor. Her long, clawed arm threw itself at his face, and knocked him back. A large gash reached from his forehead to his cheek. His vision had become red with all the blood, but he managed to see his wife well.

He heard Lloyd's screaming and fear, and the Seraph caught onto him. He was behind Noishe, who was ready for another attack. Anna had stood up completely, and began flailing about with incredible power. He watched, his heart falling apart and his mind racing. Noishe continued to bare his fangs, and when Anna advanced upon the protozoan, he pounced on her, digging his claws into her green skin. Anna roared in pain and knocked the canine back. He fell close to the edge of the cliff, and carefully moved away from it. Now unprotected, Lloyd was left wide open for an attack.

"Mommy! Please feel better!!!" he screamed. The hand lifted itself to attack, but stopped at the words said by the child.

"Lloyd…Lloyd, run away! Hurry, or I'll hurt you and Dad!" she exclaimed, pain in every syllable. Lloyd looked up, his face tear streaked and red, and nodded slowly. "I…uaaaahhh!!" The monster took over, and continued her advance on the toddler. It was about to strike when a flaming sword struck her side. Blood oozed from the wound created, and the monster continued flailing about. Kratos pulled the blade out quickly and grabbed Lloyd with an arm. He set the child down next to Noishe carefully, and told him to stay by the protozoan. The Seraph knew what to do, but his heart screamed otherwise.

His body shaking, clothes ripped apart, and his face bloody, Kratos watched his wife with haunted eyes. His sword, held by his hand, was at his side, and glowing brightly.

"Kratos…please, kill me," the monster suddenly said. The abrupt words made Kratos jump, but he contained himself and watched his wife struggle with control. "If you don't try to defeat me…I'll kill our family." The calmness of the words pierced Kratos, making him even more grieved.

"Anna, how am I supposed to kill the one I love?" he asked. The monster placed her hands on her hand, and shook it about, as if trying to block out the outside noise. He gripped his blade even tighter, but he wished he could just put it away.

"Please…do it for Lloyd," she answered, and Anna had finally lost the struggle. The monster roared in anger, grief, and insanity, throwing its claws about like a mad beast. Kratos held his sword up to block the blows, and made little success. His chest earned a gash, and his legs became like jelly.

The monster made an uppercut with her large, clawed hand, and sent the Seraph flying against the cliff wall. He hit the stone hard, and his consciousness began dwindling. He saw Anna advance towards the bloody protozoan and his son, who held on tight to the protector.

That made Kratos leap up and run for his wife with his sword poised for attack. Tears filled his eyes as he got closer, but he made it too late. The monster hit Noishe too quickly, and the dog fell back and down the cliff. Lloyd was screaming as he fell, still attached to the protozoan's leg.

"LLOYD!!!" the Seraph screamed. The monster was advancing, and he had no time. Ducking under an uppercut, he braced for the finishing blow. He placed most of his energy into his flaming sword, and waited for the opportune moment to strike. When Anna missed a swipe of her claws, he acted.

The sword went straight into Anna's chest, going through the green flesh. It stuck out of her back, completely covered in blood, but still glowing dimly. The monster stopped moving, and fell down the cliff after Kratos had pulled out his blade. Tears came down his dark eyes, mixing with the sticky blood. Before he could search for his son, the ten Desians appeared, ready to fight the tired and heart broken Seraph. They were, however, in for it.

"I have no time to deal with _you!_" he hissed. He didn't even need a magic circle, as his rage, grief, and anger fueled his mana. "Judgment!" The light came down harder and faster than before, and was over in an instant. All of them were dead, except for Kvar in the background. He smirked as he held the bloody Cruxis Crystal in his gloved hand.

"I have finally obtained what I want. Thank you for your cooperation," he sneered. In an instant, the was a hand around his neck, and Kratos had snatched the crystal back.

"You sick, twisted man! I will crush you with my bare hands if I need-!" he stopped when he heard Lloyd screaming. "…Lloyd!" Kratos kicked the Cardinal to the floor, who was gasping for breath, and flew down to the cliff to search for his son. As he came to the ground, the crying had stopped, and everything was still. Anna, Noishe, and Lloyd were all gone, and only the corpses of the fallen Desians were left, already half eaten by the roaming monsters. Kratos had lost his family.

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Mr.Who2123: AHHH!!!!!! Sniff Poor Kratos! Well, please review.


	55. Where it Ends, But Begins Anew

Mr.Who2123: I own nothing.

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Kratos fell to his knees in an instant, sobbing for his family. He broke down completely, as tears freely came down his face. One would never believe that could've been the infamous Kratos Aurion, but it was. He slowed his crying and glanced at the crystal in his hand. It glowed brightly under the thick coat of blood, but Kratos' rage at it gre tenfold.

_This stupid thing killed Anna! I HATE IT!_ he threw it as hard as he could, sending it through the trees and bushes of the forest floor. Not caring where it went to, he weakly stood up. His eyes were dull, his face becoming passive, and his mouth a tight, firm line that did not smile or frown. He felt that nothing mattered, that nothing could ever make him happy again.

Mana appeared to his right, and Kratos turned his head slowly. He knew who it was, but didn't make an effort to run or get ready to fight.

"Kratos, I'm so sorry for your loss," Yggdrasil said, appearing suddenly. The Seraph didn't look at his former leader at all, but ignored him. Hate began building for him too, but he didn't show it one bit. "Kratos…why don't you come back with me? I promise I will prevent anymore victims of Exspheres, and reunite the worlds as quickly as possible. I promise I will forget all of your rebellious acts." It was ironic to hear the Cruxis leader say he'll prevent the thing he actually started, but Kratos didn't care. He turned his head slowly to the side and finally saw him.

"No more…victims like Anna," he muttered. His eyes then moved to the surrounding forest area. There was still no sign of his family, but he searched it anyways. It was like a puppy trying over and over to wake up its dead mother. There was no hope for her to stir again, but the puppy would keep trying until the concept would finally go through its stubborn head. "No more victims? And…the worlds would be saved?"

Underneath the sincere looking smile, an evil smirk came up behind it, but Kratos didn't see it at all. His grief and anger blinded him both physically and mentally. Kratos slowly moved towards his leader, grief still present about him. The blood from multiple enemies as well as himself had already dried on his face. His appearance was haunted and scary.

"I will help you once more in this plan…if I can stop more victims," he said. Yggdrasil grinned deviously and clapped his 'friend' on the shoulder.

"Very well, Kratos. Let's go to Derris Kharlan and make plans," he said. The two disappeared in a flash of light.

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Dirk was a pleasant dwarf. In the matter of four years, his skills as a crafter had become tenfold. His new specialty was in making Key Crests for escaped prisoners of the nearby ranch, and Dirk never hesitated to help them. He didn't even offer fees if they had none. The dwarf was filled with true kindness. Whenever a customer told him so, the dwarf would become embarrassed and say, "Ah, I'm just followin' the teachin's." The people would then thank him again and leave with uplifted hearts.

Dirk also obtained his own wood for fires whenever he got low. It was on one of these occasions that he met a mother and child that would change his life. He moved into the forest by the cliff, and brought himself to a nice, oaken tree. Deducing it was good, he readied his giant axe that he had brought. When he was about to swing, a voice reached his ears.

"Mommy! You be okay!!" a young voice yelled. It was a desperate yell, showing that the situation was truly pressing. Dirk dropped his giant blade and ran to the voice with full speed. When he came upon it, he was forced to cover his eyes. There was a young woman, barely alive, and her bruised, but otherwise unhurt son holding onto her. Blood covered her body, and was inevitably going to die of blood loss if not of something else.

"You," she whispered, seeing the dwarf. Her eyes were dimming. "Take care of my child…," she paused, breathing deeply. "Lloyd Irving." The dwarf looked at the crying boy, and then to the mom.

"Of course," he humbly replied. When he approached Lloyd, the boy screamed and moved away from the dwarf. The boy was clasping to his mother's bloody hand with all the strength he could muster, and looked like he wasn't going to let go anytime soon.

"Thank…you…tell my husband…I love…him," she ended, and was eternally silent. Lloyd screamed, feeling the limpness of the hand, and held on even tighter.

"MOOOMMMMYYY!!" he screamed. Dirk had to cover his ears from the piercing scream, but managed to reach eye level with the child.

"Lloyd…why don't you come with me, and I'll make some hot stew. Do you like stew?" he asked, as kindly as he could. His grief for the poor boy was strong, and made him able to smile at the child even if he wasn't cooperating at all.

"Stew? It food…yes, mister," he replied. Dirk smiled and helped Lloyd to his shaking feet. Suddenly, a rustle came from behind the dwarf, and Dirk whirled on it. His heart skipped a beat when a giant canine was staring at him with big, sad eyes. It had green and white fur, temporarily red, but he was mostly unharmed. The dog saw Lloyd and wagged his tail.

"Noishe!" Lloyd squealed happily, and ran over to hug the canine. It licked him, but the wagging stopped when he saw Anna dead. It whined sadly and turned away in sadness.

"So this thing is your pet?" he asked, looking at the protozoan. Lloyd nodded and grinned at the dwarf. He didn't seem that bad anymore. Dirk picked up Anna with his stout, yet burly arms, and carried her to his house with Lloyd following on Noishe. This was the true beginning of the restoration of the world.

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Mr.Who2123: I…am…FINISHED!!!! Thank you to all who read this (extremely long) story!! I truly appreciate it. And…like always…

Kratos, Anna, and Lloyd: PLEASE REVIEW!

Noishe: (Whine)


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